The Steel Guitar Forum

I saw Hank III last night at the Ventura Theater (California). Vulgar show but amazing musicianship. Beautiful old theater, but horrible, horrible sound. It's always like that at that venue....but, so it goes (I've never known why the sound is so consistently bad there...a mystery). Anyway, the band was incredible....in particular the steel player. I couldn't see exactly, but he played a old blonde console double-six Fender, maybe an old Stringmaster. The guy's techique was awesome, completely blew me away. I have no idea what he was doing some of the time. Maybe brushing the underside of the strings with his third (non-pick) finger? He switched necks during songs, and I couldn't figure out the tunings he was using. Maybe because I live out West, I don't see many good lap players, but jeez, my jaw was on the ground. There wasn't a guitar player in the group (5-piece), so the steel player got to play solos every song, trading off with a very good fiddle player. The sound system (as well as Hank's attitude and language) made it impossible to hear the names of the players. Anyone know who the steel player is on this current tour? Man, I'm telling you, this guy is amazing. Side note: I probably wouldn't take my wife to see Hank III. He's a bit twisted....but what a band!

I've been to the Ventura Concert Theater too. It's an acoustical hall of horrors at times but I think a lot has to do with the guy mixin the sound. Can't he hear what I'm hearin? There's an acoustical limit to what any venue can handle and when you go beyond that limit you get too much distortion I think. Still I've seen lots of good acts there and always have a good time when I go.

Do the oft forgotten/ignored 'search' for Hank III and you'll get his name which I'm blocked on at the moment and some video and more info.

Dude is hot, and what a score to see them minus a guitarist but lots of steel instead!

Andy - I wish I had the same experience as you. I can never hear ANYTHING at that venue...some of it is probably old ears. The opening band last night had so much bass that it defied description. I mean, what the heck was the sound guy thinkin....er, hearin. I moved way down front for Hank III, trying to get in front of the PA, and hear the stage volume. It was better down there, but still a mess. With this particular band, some of it was their fault. I don't think those guys have ever heard of "dynamics", or at least last night they didn't. Every musician was full out ALL the time. A good show, but hard to hear specifics. Who the heck was that steel player?

May have been Andy Gibson playing his Fender Dual Professional. That's who was with HankIII last I heard him.

I used to go see movies at the Ventura Theater when I was a kid. I also played shows there years later after they turned it into a concert hall.
It was originally built as a 19th century Opera house. Since it was designed and built years before PA systems, the less PA you use the better it sounds.
Those rounded walls and ceiling surfaces are great for acoustic music, but really suck for low end pushed at a 120db.

Alvin - Thanks for the historical info about the Ventura Theater. I don't go down there often, but when I do, I always wonder about that building. Such a beautiful place. I knew it was old, but didn't know it's that old. Amazing. Thanks for the tip regarding the steeler. I followed Ron's advice and used the search function (thank you, Ron). I haven't been able to confirm it yet, but it's likely that I saw Andy Gibson. Apparently, he learned from Wayton Roberts. That would explain a lot. He left me somewhere between inspired and read-to-give-up. ;^)

Was it this guy?



If so, then it's Andy Gibson.

Steinar

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"Play to express, not to impress"
www.gregertsen.com
Southern Moon Northern Lights

Steiner - That's him! Thanks very much.

The first Hank Williams is the one I remember. He was a frustrated man who wrote some great songs, died way too young. He had a slight drinking problem I guess, and swore at the audience once, and they loved it!
We played all of his music during his lifetime, back when I was into the country music of that era.
I wasn't even aware that there was a Hank III.

Andy Gibson is also a pretty good dobro player as well!

Hey! That's the same old guitar I have, and still need a pickup assebly for it. HINT HINT!

Yes, Andy played dobro pretty well that night with Hank III, maybe two or three songs. Also, on one of the fiddle player's solos, Andy stepped over quickly and finished the solo with a lightning fast run up the neck of the fiddle while the fiddler sawed away (is that understandable?). Pretty amazing.

I'm not sure if the steel guitar Andy used was the one in Steiner's picture. Could have been the lighting (or lack of it), but the guitar looked more white/blonde than the old yellow color. I was looking for 8 tuning machines, but could only see 6. My Dual Professional is a 6-stringer, so maybe I'm biased....;o).

It has been a while since I have been on logged onto the Forum, but when I saw this string, I just had to comment. I saw Andy Gibson play at the Kentucky Opry with Ike Jonson. He is one awsome steeler. My friend and I are learning to play our Fender Doubleneck 8 Stringmasters and we were on the edge of our seats whispering back and forth, "what is he doing? Did you see that?" and we talked about it all the way home. (2 1/2 hours)<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Celeste Johnson on 01 September 2006 at 08:31 PM.]</p></FONT><font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Celeste Johnson on 01 September 2006 at 08:32 PM.]</p></FONT>

"Tri-Cephus" as Bobbe calls him, must have a thing for steel.

Check out the the album "Lovesick, Broke, & Driftin'", Kayton Roberts at his very best.

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John Drury
NTSGA #3