Frank Solivan and the Dirty Kitchen

[George R. Lane]

Just saw them in concert last night in Helena, Mt. in a small venue (seats 200). I didn't know much about the band, other than a couple of you tube videos. They were billed as a bluegrass band, but I didn't hear much BG music. They were all very good musicians and they played some New Grass, jazzy tunes and some bluesy stuff. My complaint was with the sound, way too LOUD for such a small place and that they had all their instruments were plugged in. Even the banjo was plugged in. They ran them all though pedals for reverb and wah wah. Their playing as I said was superb and the band was tight, but I had to take my hearing aids out and it was still way too loud. I blame the sound guy, he should have turned it down a little. I won't go to another concert unless I know it will be totally acoustic. Please don't take this as a jab at the band, it just wasn't the kind of music I was expecting.

[Mike Bunting]

I share your opinion. I hate anything too loud and you are right to blame the sound man. I went to see a friend playing in country rock band and the sound and was painfully loud, and when I spoke with him later, his first words were "It was too ........ing loud." I've been in clubs where it was really loud and in order to get the vocals heard they would turn up the vocal mic to the edge of feedback when the simple solution would be to turn everything else down. Plus, if the sound is properly dialled in, the sound is heard easily w/o crazy volume levels. To give some credit to sound guys though, I've seen some good ones stymied by the fact that some small venues are sonic hellholes.

[TonyP]

That is too bad because when I saw them nobody was plugged in. That alone usually messes things up enough sonically to put me off, but maybe they did that because they were told it's time to blast. dunno. I hope this is not a new strategy as they had a good sound before just using mic's. If you want to hear what they usually sound like they did a song on WAMU that was posted here on the Cafe a while back. And as usual it was just two LDC's with the band in a half circle around it.

[Perry Babasin]

On a positive note of interest... Frank built his mandolin last year, and I think Michael Lewis and Roger Siminoff helped him along the way! I caught them at the Father's Day Bluegrass Festival in Grass Valley a few years ago, and thought they were awesome! Too bad the sound wasn't mixed for your more intimate venue, I think acoustic music should retain a subtler quality even when amplified, and with all the instruments in the mix that should be easily done.

[Paul Hird]

Saw Peter Rowan along with Dirty Kitchen August 1 in Crested Butte. Fantastic evening of music. Unfortunately, Frank was called away from that leg of the tour as his mother had apparently passed away shortly before coming to Crested Butte. Wished he were there with his band but it was still a fine evening of music. My condolences to Frank and his family.

[TonyP]

Wow, add my condolences too.

[George R. Lane]

Thanks everyone for the positive comments. With the instruments plugged in they all sounded like electric instruments and I would have like to have heard his mandolin and mandola in their natural state. I did not know he made his own mandolin, I would really like to hear it acousticly now.

Paul, he did mention about the passing of his mother and played a wonderful song she had sang to him as a child.

I hope they come through again and put on an acoustic set.

[Mike Steadfast-Ward]

It's possible to fit a limiter to the sound produced by a band. When I was amenities manager I used one frequently mainly to protect any one living close to the hall. It made living with the neighbours easier.
If the sound exceeded a preset decibel level it cut off the power to amps and instruments.

[JEStanek]

I met him a few years ago and got to watch him and Barry Mitterhoff trade tunes (and mandolins -Lewis and Buckeye respectively). Pure magic and he's the nicest dude to boot. I heard them on a stage and thought they were pretty darn good.


Jamie

[TonyP]

From what I know about it, he didn't make his mandolin, he's still got his Lewis. What he made was a mandola from one of Roger Siminoff's kits. He played that on the recent WAMU post by FSDK.

[Ivan Kelsall]

There are quite a few YouTube clips of Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen & most of them are not 'strictly' Bluegrass (IMHO). The musicianship is top notch,but it's not stuff i could listen to for too long. A shame about the volume George & i understand what you mean,above a certain volume level all you hear is LOUD !,
Ivan

[DvS]

I met him a few years ago and got to watch him and Barry Mitterhoff trade tunes (and mandolins -Lewis and Buckeye respectively). Pure magic and he's the nicest dude to boot. I heard them on a stage and thought they were pretty darn good.


Jamie

Darn Good is right. Thanks for posting this photo,concentrating in one visual field three of my heroes: Frank, Barry and 'Baltimore Johnny' (aka fiddler Jon Glick)! Each of these guys is a monster player and fine human bean! Would've loved to have been in that jam space

[mugbucket]

[Alex Orr]

Odd... I've seen a good half dozen times around DC over the years and they've never plugged in like that - actually, in a couple of venues, they could have been a bit louder. In terms of style...well...they're one of those BG bands who are pushing the edges of the genre, which is not everyone's cup of tea. Personally I like a lot of what they do, though some of it leaves me pretty flat. More than anything, I really enjoy the instrumental interplay. I've been enjoying Mike Mumford's playing since around 2001 when I used to see him play every Wednesday night at Madam's Organ in DC with Big Hillbilly Bluegrass. That band no longer has a weekly gig there, but it's worth noting that when they do play, if Mike's not on the road with Frank, he sometimes still sits in with whatever line-up Bob Perilla has that evening.

[Perry Babasin]

I was following the build process on Michael Lewis' Facebook page photos, and Frank's postings. It's a mandolin that he built at Siminoff's Luthier camp and Michael Lewis was consulting him along the way. He was playing it for some shows when he first finished it. It might not be his main player anymore, but it looks really cool! Here is the mandolin in question, it sounds pretty good for my taste anyway. BTW... I love this and will be watching for when they come to my neighborhood again!

[George R. Lane]

That is the mando he was playing at the Monday night concert.

[Perry Babasin]

Here is a thread about this mandolin and The Man himself steps up to talk about it! Very sorry about your Mom Frank...

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...hlight=Solivan

[TonyP]

I stand corrected, sorry. I was only aware of the 'dola. carry on.

[almeriastrings]

Plus, if the sound is properly dialled in, the sound is heard easily w/o crazy volume levels.

+1.

The idea is 'sound reinforcement' - simply making sure that everything that should be audible, is audible. The 'loudness factor' may well have become a part of the rock n' roll scene, but I do not (myself) think it is appropriate or sits easy in a folk or bluegrass context. I walk out of venues if the sound is too much. I value my hearing, for one thing. There are a lot of hearing impaired musicians and sound techs out there who did not take the damage it can do seriously enough. It takes a lot less exposure than you might think. Interesting to reflect that years ago, no sound equipment (at all) was used on the Grand Ol' Opry, or in countless theaters and music halls. Only a few days back I wandered past a little beach bar with just a few dozen people in there, and a band playing so loud you could hear it from the other end of the street. Something wrong there.

[JEStanek]

DVS, Mike Compton had been there for a while as well. It was pretty cool to listen to. Frank really enjoyed the jam and played for several hours.

Jamie

[AlanN]

The song in post 15 is beautiful.

[Manfred Hacker]

The song in post 15 is beautiful.

Yes, and it is the kind of musicianship like the synchronous playing demonstrated here that sets them apart from many other bands.
I have heard them several times in the D.C. area.
And yes, last time it was unnecessarily loud, too.

[DvS]

DVS, Mike Compton had been there for a while as well. It was pretty cool to listen to. Frank really enjoyed the jam and played for several hours.

Jamie

Thanks for that, Jamie. Mike's yet another hero as well. Such a grand time to be a Mando-thusiast, isn't it? So may exceptional players, generally very accessible in person, whether festival, workshop, or house concert, to a degree pretty unusual for many a style/genre of music, past or present.
D.

[outsidenote]

I heard Frank Solivan a few times at Merlefest this year and loved every minute. He played the mando he built at Mando - Mania and it compared well with some illustrious company! I am sorry your first exposure was marred by high volumes. I do not tolerate loud venues and will walk out.

Give Frank another chance - he really is great.