Gig Gab - The Working Musician's Podcast

Step inside five decades of rock history with lighting legend Howard Ungerleider, the man who’s been designing and directing Rush’s light shows since 1974. Hear how a $75-a-week mailroom gig at American Talent International — where he pulled off a rogue booking of Fleetwood Mac before he was even an agent — turned into a lifetime behind the console. Get the story of Howard landing in Toronto to babysit “a club band called Rush,” sleeping on the floor at the manager’s house with a St. Bernard, freezing his hand to a car door at -40 in Cochrane, Ontario, and later jamming with Neil Peart at his house to Genesis and Supertramp records. Howard also talks designing Roll The Bones (the one Rush tour he couldn’t operate), embedding at See Factor to build custom gear nobody else could get, and how Blue Öyster Cult first put him in front of a laser: the same craft he now brings to Foo Fighters, Tool, and Janet Jackson.

Then the conversation turns to the upcoming Rush Fifty Something tour — a four-piece now with Anika Nilles on drums and Loren Gold on keys, freeing Geddy to focus on bass and vocals. Learn why Howard still “plays” the lighting console live with two boards and thousands of touch cues, how robotic spots are quietly changing the craft, and why he and Phish’s Chris Kuroda will be swapping rigs at Madison Square Garden. You’ll also hear the Paul McCartney moment in the Taylor Hawkins tribute dressing room that may have sparked the whole tour, and why Howard insists this is a rejuvenation, a celebration, and proof that no matter the rig, the room, or the era, you’ve gotta ALWAYS BE PERFORMING.

Because it’s what we do.

Press play and enjoy, folks.

00:00:00 Gig Gab 530 – Monday, April 20th, 2026

April 20th: Pizza Delivery Driver Appreciation Day

Guest co-host: Howard Ungerleider

00:02:18 Walked into a NYC office to get a recording contract for his band

“You need to learn about this industry before you come knocking on people’s doors.”

Introduced him to Action Talent (which became American Talent International)

00:06:21 For $75/week delivering coffee and working in the mailroom

After a year and a half he got booted from Monmouth University, then became the ATI gopher

00:08:17 Hey, do you want Fleetwood Mac to play here?

00:11:44 Booking agent

00:13:17 Can you fill in for a week as Blue Oyster Cult’s tour

00:14:51 Howard and Rush were surprised to have Howard working there

“I need ten grand” – “no, you can sleep on the floor instead”

00:18:11 Howard had to show Geddy that New York pizza was better than Toronto pizza

00:19:01 Howard learns about Canadian cold

Howard’s driving, Geddy’s riding shotgun, Neil’s reading, Alex is smoking a joint

00:20:42 Geddy says, “get out and take a breath of fresh air”

00:22:05 John Rutsey had opted out of touring, Howard moves to Toronto while they’re auditioning drummers

“Eventually Neil [Peart] walked in…and that was it.”

00:23:32 Howard and Neil used to jam at Neil’s house

Genesis and Supertramp

00:24:19 Road life’s not so bad

200 gigs a year on the road

00:26:09 Rush took a break, Howard did Queensryche and Tesla

Howard designed Roll The Bones, but it’s the only tour he couldn’t operate

00:27:51 Howard tour-managed and lighting designed and operated every tour up through Presto, after which he dropped tour-managing

00:28:41 Dave realizes he met Howard on the Presto tour

00:31:43 Don’t put up with crap

00:32:03 Howard’s been doing Rush’s lights since 1974

00:33:05 Moving from clubs and theaters to arenas

Howard embedded himself into See Factor, the lighting company.

Lots of custom gear

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00:38:10 Howard first saw lasers with Blue Oyster Cult

Dr. David Infante, Blue Oyster Cult’s laser operator

Howard’s lasers on on the road with Foo Fighters, Tool, Janet Jackson and more

00:40:37 RUSH Fifty Something

Something completely different than Howard has ever done

Other dimensions

00:42:04 Mixing the Juno awards

Howard says Neil would approve of Anika.

00:44:51 Hey Howard, surprise! RUSH is going to tour again

00:47:03 Howard did lights for RUSH at Taylor Hawkins tribute

00:48:46 Howard prefers mixing live

He “plays” the lighting console live

Remote spot locations

00:52:07 RUSH Fifty Something… it’s band of FOUR.

Geddy is happy… playing less keyboards, more bass and vocal focus

00:54:42 Howard: “I create lighting choreography”

This tour is (currently) 2.5 hours (things can change, folks!)

“I try to enhance the show with lighting that can trigger your emotions. I approach it as an audience member.”

Loren Gold’s harmonies sound great

00:58:28 Phish and Rush alternating at Madison Square Garden

Chris Kuroda also mixes lights live

01:00:45 Howard’s going to 85 dates

We’re here to create positivity, have a good time…and Neil Peart is smiling down

01:05:25 Brian Worthen on FOH

01:08:30 Gig Gab 530 Outtro <https://giggabpodcast.com/>

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The post 50 Years of Rush: Howard Ungerleider on Lighting the Lighted Stage – Gig Gab 530 appeared first on Gig Gab.

You don’t need a traditional path to build a thriving music career! Just ask Cliff and Susan Prowse, who turned classical piano chops and play-by-ear instincts into a full-blown lifestyle business. Whether you learned to read music first or figured out theory after the fact, what matters is training your ear to hear intervals, stacking up reps, and putting in the practice until harmony feels like second nature. Use your DAW to sharpen your pitch, but don’t psych yourself or your bandmates out: true tone deafness is rare, and confidence is currency on stage. The bottom line: making a real living in music is absolutely possible when you treat your craft like a skill you never stop sharpening.

Once you hit the stage, remember that the crowd is the star and you’re the emcee who just happens to sing and play. Take your audience on a journey: open at mid-energy, build it up, let it breathe, then hit them again. Mix genres, swap instruments, toss in some comedy, and never leave dead air between songs; keep every second purposeful. Think of your set like a video game where you’re always leveling up the room. Manage your breaks with music that matches the vibe so the party never stalls. Playing covers isn’t just a gig — it’s a masterclass in entertainment, and entertainment is its own art form. Always Be Performing.

00:00:00 Gig Gab 529 – Monday, April 13th, 2026

April 13th: National Silly Earring Day

Guest co-hosts: Susan Erwin Prowse & Cliff Prowse

00:03:02 The Ultimate Lifestyle Business

00:03:33 Starting with a Pure Mathematics Degree to Piano Bars

Classical Piano at the base of it all

00:05:04 Bumble Boogie piqued Susan’s ears

Make sure your kids see that inspiration

00:07:16 Cliff started with music from the day he was born

Always treated instruments delicately, even as a toddler

Learned to play by ear, but never learned to read

00:09:44 Reading vs. hearing and Music Theory

School band director thought he was reading music, when Cliff was just playing by ear and remembering what the band director

Susan learned to hear intervals

Cliff decided to learn theory after-the-fact

00:14:28 Learning to play before you learn WHY the notes work

00:18:18 Breaking down vocal harmonies

Both Susan and Cliff picks out harmony by ear

Singing harmonies with the mixolydian scale with the flat 7

Really, just practice. Repetition is the key to it all!

00:27:20 Using your DAW to help improve your singing

Being actually tone deaf is rare

Beware of shaking your bandmates’ confidence…or your own

00:33:21 Making a living in the music business is possible!

00:34:26 The science of the show: Piano Bar strategies

Top 40, any genre, any decade

Learning the skills of doing the singalong concept

Susan and Cliff met on-stage at Willy D’s piano bar in Little Rock

From piano bars in Little Rock to Los Angeles to Las Vegas and beyond

00:38:31 Taking the crowd on a journey

When you’re there to entertain and throw the party

The crowd is the star, you AREN’T

You’re the emcee, the DJ, you just happen to know how to sing and play piano

Keep it interesting by changing the genre, the groove, the style

It’s like playing a video game!

Mid energy, at first, then bring it up, then let it ease, then maybe repeat

Add variety: different instruments, different singers, different styles

Add a little comedy to give them a break from the music

00:45:44 Manage your breaks

One school: NEVER stop playing

Have good break music, make sure the energy matches

00:49:48 Managing your dead air

Don’t allow breaks between songs. Always avoid dead air.

“Purposeful Talking”

00:52:44 Entertainers Academy

5-Day Gig Amplifier Challenge

Susan and Cliff love to teach!

00:56:44 Being in a cover band is a masterclass of learning entertainment skills

Entertaining is an art in and of itself

01:00:17 Gig Gab 528 Outtro

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The post The Crowd Is the Star: Piano Bar Secrets for Entertaining Any Room – Gig Gab Podcast 529 with Cliff & Susan Prowse appeared first on Gig Gab.

In this episode of Gig Gab, you get the full story of how Kevin “KG” Glendinning cold-emailed his way from a Chicago suburb into a 25-year career mixing monitors for Alicia Keys, Maroon 5, Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus, Lorde, and more. You hear how a kid sweeping floors at dB Sound ended up on a Metallica tour bus with one piece of advice ringing in his ears: ask questions, stay late, and get a second job because you’re gonna need it. Kevin walks you through migrating artists to in-ear monitors, managing talkback culture for everyone from Eddie Vedder wanting baseball scores to Lorde’s tight production team, and what it takes to help reluctant guitar players finally ditch the wedges. If you’ve ever wondered what separates a good monitor engineer from a great one, this conversation lays it out.

You also dive deep into the art and science of making IEMs sound right in every room, every night. Kevin shares his process of minimal reduction: fixing a bad mix by figuring out what to take away, not what to add, and explains why tuning for in-ears is just as critical as tuning a PA. You learn why he flies 4,700 miles for a single gig, why the best mixes sometimes come from a throw-and-go, and how setting up dummy channels lets you experiment without wrecking the artist’s mix. He and Dave talk hearing health, audiograms, the DPA capsule as the only open mic on the Lorde stage, and why knowing your own ears matters more than knowing your gear. Whether you’re mixing monitors at an arena or running sound at a club gig, this episode is packed with wisdom you can use tonight. Always Be Performing, folks!

00:00:00 Gig Gab 528 – Monday, April 6th, 2026

April 6th: National Siamese Cat Day

Guest co-host: Kevin Glendinning

00:02:25 Hotmailing his way into a career

Watched the credits of a Metallica documentary, realized DB Sound was near the house, emailed Harry… “Hi, I’m Kevin, and I’m interested in audio…” and the rest is history!

00:07:58 Got put on the road as an audio team assistant

Trial by fire

Advice from the team:

Here’s what to do

Here’s what not to do

Ask questions, stay late, and get a second job because you’re gonna need it

00:11:22 Learning the personal touch parts of being on tour

00:12:52 Being the stage left PA tech, Kevin gravitated towards monitors

00:13:50 Talkback Culture

Eddie Vedder wanted baseball scores in his talkback

SOMBR for Coachella 2026 (Chris Rabold at FOH)

00:16:18 Managing multiple talkback channels

00:18:08 LORDE on Talkback

Phil Harvey on FOH

Sarah Parker is LD

00:19:00 Talkback stories

Jaret Reddick’s use of talkback mics in Bowling For Soup

00:20:51 Migrating to in-ears

IEMs can preserve your hearing, if done right

Future Sonics uses dynamic drivers

00:25:09 Helping guitar players to IEMs

Mike Dias on Gig Gab

Sensaphonics 3MAX IEMs on LORDE tour

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00:33:44 Back to helping guitar players with IEMs

Problem: when a vocal mic is downstage from a guitar amp

Ian Beveridge with Foo Fighters

Paul Simon prefers wedges

Always be learning

First: Learn the human being you’re going to be mixing for

00:41:27 The differences between mixing monitors for Miley Cyrus and Ella LORDE

00:42:48 Monitoring the Artists Monitors

TX1 Wireless Transmitters

REMI with Brad Madix on Gig Gab

00:47:50 Different rooms sound different on IEMs

AFAS Live (formerly Heineken Music Hall) in Amsterdam sounds great

Dave says Alamodome in San Antonio is one of the worst-sounding

To fix IEMs in a bad-sounding room: what can we reduce to make it sound better?

Last night it was a bongo mic that was making the drumset sound too washy in the IEM mix

“The process of minimal reduction”

Ella’s DPA capsule is the only open mic on-stage on the LORDE tour

Tune for the IEMs, too: listen to something you know, and EQ it

Tuning the podcast for JH Audio Laylas

01:04:06 Learn your own ears (not your IEMs, your human ears) first

Take a hearing test with your phone if you can

Kevin and Alicia Keys would go and get their hearing tested together, getting audiograms to compare

01:07:09 IEMs are the most personal audio interaction

You have to be psychic!

01:09:46 Flying 4,700 miles to save the day

Sometimes the throw-and-go results in the best mix because you’re not overthinking it

Tip from Kevin: set up dummy channels to experiment without messing with the actual mix for the IEMs

01:15:57 Gig Gab 528 Outtro

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The post Monitoring the Artists’ Monitors: IEM Wisdom from Kevin Glendinning – Gig Gab 528 appeared first on Gig Gab.

You tighten your gig prep by treating every show like a pro mission: build rock-solid routines, line-check your gear and apps, and know your insurance, splitter snake, setlist, click, and IEM plan before you ever hit the stage. You walk into a wedding or club already covered with proper liability, routing, charts, and monitoring so you can stop worrying about logistics and start playing the room. Always Be Performing.

Onstage, you think like a storyteller, not just a musician: you record full shows to review your banter and flow, you decide when the click helps and when to ditch it, and you refine what makes your band distinctive so people remember your name and feel the FOMO.

Offstage, you act like a lab: you binge showcases at events like SXSW, steal the best ideas, use AI to critique rehearsals, and keep your gig bag dialed so every performance gets sharper, louder, and more undeniable.

00:00:00 Gig Gab 527 – Monday, March 30th, 2026

March 30th: Take a Walk in the Park Day

00:01:29 What is your gig prep process?

00:06:55 Skylar-How does a band get a certificate of insurance for a wedding gig?

Insurance Canopy

Special Event Insurance

00:11:15 n-Brian from Durham-Do we need a splitter snake?

Mixing Station

Proreck Splitter Snake

00:16:57 Bill-What Setlist App do you use?

forScore

00:19:39 Dan-What click track do you use live?

PolyNome

00:21:51 Dan-What about IEMs with ambient filters?

Ultimate Ears Ambient Option

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00:27:05 I’m a band guy…how about you?

00:30:15 SXSW 2026 — bands seen and lessons learned:

38 showcases in 2026

Family Battenberg

Thelma And James

Timmy Skelly

00:39:43 Record yourself live, not just for the music, but for the whole show, including your banter.

Lainey Wilson vs. John Popper and band

00:43:24 The stiffness of a click, vs not.

Soultone vs. Lainey

00:45:56 PODCAST: Rock Talk Studio Podcast

00:47:29 Tell people who you are, and make it distinctive.

Leverage FOMO

00:51:54 Olight OClip Pro in your Gig Bag

00:54:25 Moskowizard-Use AI to evaluate your rehearsals (critical listening)

00:57:00 Andy-CSF-Supertone Clear

00:58:16 Gig Gab 527 Outtro

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The post Stop Winging It: Dial In Your Show with Clicks, Setlists, Insurance, and Gig Prep – Gig Gab 527 appeared first on Gig Gab.

You see how life on the road quietly rewires your brain, from grief and burnout to decision fatigue and STC (Sleepy, Tired, and Crabby), and how Courtney and Paul built The Roadie Clinic to give crews a place to tell their story and get real help. Through flights, heat‑canceled shows, and jumps from Fallon to Timberlake, John Legend, Drake, and beyond, you learn to Always Be Performing for your own mental health with boundaries, support systems, and even AI to protect your headspace.

You’re handed concrete ways to care for yourself and your people: snow policies and “last chance to say no” moments, non‑negotiable laundry time, color‑coded calendars that lower stress, and simple communication habits that keep relationships from snapping under pressure. By the end, you’re invited to treat your brain like your most critical piece of touring gear—and to build a crew culture where dignity, respect, and mental health are baked into every gig.​

00:00:00 Gig Gab 526 – Monday, March 23rd, 2026

March 23rd: National Puppy Day

Guest co-hosts: Courtney Klimson and Paul Klimson

00:01:43 Choosing Niles, Michigan for The Roadie Clinic

2019: From living in NYC to “the middle of nowhere” Michigan (but it’s right near an airport)

With lots of puppies!

00:04:05 The Roadie Clinic and the whole Human Experience

After some family tragedies, Courtney joined Paul on a European leg of the Timberlake tour to support him through the grief

00:07:56 Hottest Day in Central Park doing a show for John Legend

And Paul winds up with a sprained ankle but the show must go on…until it’s canceled for the heat!

Then off to Sicily the next day… and Courtney joins again!

00:13:24 On the flights, Courtney

00:15:40 “The Show Must Go On”

Institute a snow policy

00:17:40 And so exists The Roadie Clinic

Remote assistance: tell me your story, how can I help?

Works closely with MusiCares

RoadieDocRx

Decision Fatigue can sometimes be solved by AI

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00:28:03 Where are you going today, Paul?

John Legend to Timberlake to Drake

Multi-colored calendars to save the marriage…and the business

00:30:18 From being the monitor/foldback engineer at Fallon to meeting lots of bands

…and managers. “Protect the brand” worked to develop relationships

00:32:55 What Gets the Gig Done?

What can I do best that serves the team?

Scovill’s Back Lounge

00:37:02 The @ Rule of Texting

STC = Sleepy Tired and Crabby

00:39:38 Is this the last opportunity I have to say “no”?

00:43:55 Laundry time matters!

00:45:26 Studying Roadie Brains

A lot of Parkinsons, PTSD, Strokes

From Fallon to Timberlake

00:47:15 Tricks of being efficient with engineers

Step one: Communicate the Input List and Stage Plot

00:50:43 Paul Klimson’s Talkback System

00:54:00 We’re going to win because we’re efficient and we care about humans

Dignity and Respect

Superbowl Halftime Show – Minneapolis

Jimmy Fallon Show … and SNL

How are you using AI?

00:57:14 Gig Gab 526 Outtro

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The post Touring Brains: Boundaries, Burnout, and Being OK, with Courtney and Paul Klimson – Gig Gab 526 appeared first on Gig Gab.