RAST hack

We went to the IKEA this afternoon and picked up a RAST table.

The RAST bedside table is something that comes up again and again on the forums as a cheap rack-mount solution, and understandably so-- the area above its shelf is exactly 6U tall and 19" wide, with another 2U or so available underneath it. It costs $15.

A, say, SKB 6U rack costs $125. Obviously, the portability and durability of an SKB/Gator/etc. case is what you're paying for, and is way above the specs of something like this, but if you just need rack space for your project studio, and want something that looks nice, order a RAST. Being an IKEA thing, construction takes five minutes.

Once the table is built, just install 6U strips on either side to mount your outboard. That's it. Total time and cost for building 6U of rackspace: $25/10 minutes.




I'm thinking about adding handles to the sides and building a pair of face plates. I don't plan on taking our synthesizer out of the apartment, but it would be nice to have the option at some point!

Williamsburg Music Hall: the fanciness

I went to the No Fun Fest on Saturday (big thanks to Scott and Dave for the ticket!) at the Williamsburg Music Hall. That place is fancy!

Northsix--the club previously at the Music Hall's address--was bought and refurbished by The Bowery Presents (who seemingly own every above-ground venue in New York these days). And it shows! This is the board they've installed there (didn't catch the make/model, but woah):


Huge PA columns, two full bars and a deep balcony with tables (think: Bowery Ballroom). Here's a better description, with pictures. Two years old, but still accurate.

Of note for me, Tony from Make Noise was in the basement with a Suitcase full of great modules (from memory, it included: a Doepfer A-119, Livewire AFG, Plan B Model 10, Doepfer A-188-1 (4096 stages), Harvestman Tyme Safari/Sound of Thunder combo, Flight of Harmony joystick, a QMMG and two Wogglebugs!), letting people try them out and generally get excited about modular synthesizers. It was awesome. Nice to meet you, Tony!

In Make Noise gossip: he mentioned that the ModDemod will be re-released as a 6HP unit, with added make-up gain pots and new normalizations. Yes!

Were any of you at No Fun? Stories? Photos? Leave them in the comments!

New Gary Carters track!

Our main man "L.L." Duvall stopped by on Friday to record the first new Gary Carters song in years-- a cautionary tale about hitch hiking called "Step Into The Van." Look for it on Tuesday at the top of the Billboard charts.

Happy Mother's Day!

"Treat Her Right," written by Mr. T, performed by The Shamblers.

(Right-click to save.)

Also...

Kip verification

I was leaving a comment on a Matrixsynth post and had to type the following before I could submit it:


I know I'm not exactly breaking ground by saying this, but Winger was the worst!



They were the first band about which I can remember thinking, "I really don't like what they're doing."

Open thread: what then-contemporary group(s) did you not like when you were growing up?

One day left in the T&V auction

Just a quick reminder that there are fewer than 24 hours left in the "New Visions" LP auction. It's a rare garage record full of covers of rare garage records-- what more could you ask for?

HERE IS THE LINK

And here is a candid moment of the guys listening to playback during the recording of the album:

Colonial fundraising auction, pt. 2

We're putting a second auction up to help fund the next handful of releases on Colonial Recordings USA (new 7"s!!)-- it's an Iran-Contras rarities lot, including:

--"Thee Iran-Contras Were Better," a lathe cut Iran-Contras compilation LP. It has songs from the self-titled tape, as well as the "Ouvrage," "Mr. Pants," "Going Crackers," "Hula Be Gone" and "For Couples Only" albums. Silkscreened cover, #34/40

--the companion CD-R for "...Were Better," "Zealot For Community EP," #34/40

--the first single, "Chatham Nights." Gold vinyl, #152/200

--"Japanese Tour Souvenir" split single with The McDowells. White vinyl, #57/200

--"Lips" t-shirt, white silkscreened on black (Adult Small)


Auction starts... right now! Tell your friends!

HERE IS THE LINK

And don't forget-- there are still a few days left in the auction for The T&V LP!