Behind The Scenes: Filming UM’s NYE Run

Chad and I work on unloading the gear, setting and assembling the equipment and discussing the shoot in general. As we work, we get out first surprise treat of the week as the band begins to go through some rehearsal of the songs they’ll be playing in the next few days. Set up in one of the greenrooms, the band tweaks old favorites and works on cover songs. Not bad background music. Most of the band left at 10 after an hour and a half of rehearsal and warm-up. We got out of there by 11, exiting as the house crew continued to put the band’s sound equipment in place.

Day 2

While Chad runs to a couple places getting a few pieces of extra equipment, I arrive at the Riv to do some more set up and sound check shooting. One of our camera people comes early to help with the setup, examine the gear and shoot the sound check as well. The band runs through some of the covers they plan on like Hollywood Nights, Mixed Bizness, National Anthem and a personal highlight for me, Peg by Steely Dan. The whole film crew arrived at 6PM for our walk through and setup.

[Photo by Chad Smith]

Trying to talk and organize the crew walking around the Riv is pretty limiting when Stasik and Myers (and the rest of the band) are crushing Radiohead.  But that’s not a complaint, a challenge like that for film making is fine with me. We moved down stairs to a slightly more quiet repose and finished out the night setting up, planning and eating. Chad and I once again left around 11, excited for the actual shooting to begin the next day.

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Day 3

It’s officially the first day of filming and there’s still plenty to do. We’ve decided to place two cameras in the balcony, so the crew works on setting up and testing those out. We are also using some small GoPro cameras which are often used for action sports, but we’ve decided to place them onstage affixed to mic stands and drum kits. We go over both the location and process of powering them down at set break with Bob. It will be my job to turn them on and off, meaning I have to go on stage four times per show in front of the 2,500 person crowd. My main thought is not tripping over some wires, falling and breaking a pedal board or something. So I take a little extra time making sure I know all the dimensions and items on the stage.

[Photo by Charles Izenstark]

As show times gets closer the backstage crowd swells, making for an interesting work space as we hustle to put the last minute plans in action and solidify all the camera workings. Just before the Riv doors opened we send out a camera to record the crowd and marque and the camera person reports that the energy is rising to the expected level. At our work station we are putting the final touches on the manner in which we will get the batteries charged and memory cards full of footage stored during set break and at the end of the show.

Just as with the band, there is a slight lull, a period of nerves, anticipation and (possible) relaxation before the show starts. Our crew grabs some food, discusses some of the logistics and generally tries to maintain some balance in all the backstage craziness. As the beginning of set one nears our camera people take their places, I go to the stage and turn on the well-placed GoPro cams while Chad sets up the computer equipment for the data. Working through a live show goes very quickly. There’s little time to actually stand still for a minute and absorbs the music, the vibe and the atmosphere. Every moment seems to be filled with checking on all the camera people, anticipating unforeseen issues, dealing with said issues and trying to keep all aspects efficient and effective as the show moves along.

Each song goes by like a flash and it’s hard to remember which came when, the show marked by moments of handing off batteries or running down to the green room to grab a water for a crew member. For one moment on the first night, I did take five minutes to just soak it all in during the band’s cover of Peg. In addition to it being by the one and only Steely Dan, it was also near the end of the night so the timing was right to enjoy some music without having to look ahead.

The night doesn’t end when the show is over, far from it. While the backstage area mushrooms with family and friends, our crew is still hard at work uploading footage, going over concerns to remedy for night two and breaking down all the gear. Again it’s a unique challenge to try and work while the band and gang are getting the groove started for a 72 hour party. By 1 AM the backstage was cleared out and that gave us enough time to wrap up our work for the night. Luckily, there was a great after party waiting for us at the Metro with The New Mastersounds and a contingent of the Umphrey’s crew.

Day 4

Arriving at the Riviera for the second night of the Umphrey’s run, I find (as expected) that this middle day will be a slightly more relaxed night as far as our shooting goes. The kinks are fixed, the nerves are tamed and with the much awaited New Year’s Eve show the following night, today seems less stressful. As the band sound checks we look over some of the footage and plot any different approaches for the night. We also get the opportunity to show some of the band members and their crew footage from the previous night. They are really digging the GoPro cameras onstage so we decide to try a few different angles with them for tonight.

[Photo by Brian Spady]

As the crew arrives I leave the Riviera to attend a Tweetup at a nearby bar with the band’s sound engineer Kevin. One of our camera people came along to get a little bonus footage of the event. The second set of the show had a couple filmatic highlights with percussionist Andy Farag wearing a GoPro cam on a head strap out at the beginning of the set and bassist Ryan Stasik putting it on for the entirety of Hangover. The footage of Stasik engaging with all the members of the band and looking out into the audience, will no doubt be a popular inclusion in the final DVD.

Day 5

The energy of a New Year’s Eve show is special. Having a long night in front of us we ease into the evening. With a massive balloon drop and confetti cannon display planned for the celebration we go through some reworking of the previous two shows layout and shooting concepts. With the splendor, color and pure visual experience of the midnight spectacular, you want to make sure all the bases are covered and you don’t miss the moment. We spend extra time with the band’s stage crew making sure we have the proper times, camera angles and stage specs for the big show (horns and backup singer added for the show).

Backstage, bottles of champagne chill as our crew anxiously awaits the show to begin. Dressed in t-shirts and jeans while everyone else is in sequin dresses and half-suits, our crew truly looks ready to work amongst the revelers. The shoot itself for this night was smooth and positive. Vince, Kevin and (Umphrey’s LD) Jeff (Waful) wore head cams at various times in the show, with Vince putting it on while toasting the band on stage with all their family just after midnight. As the third set of the night neared its end (with a monumental, horn-filled Booth Love > National Anthem) I take a few moments to chill in the balcony at our camera station and watch the amazing light show and observe the whole production from above. Without question the run has almost become a blur, marked by trading out memory cards and making sure batteries are charged. The reason for our being at the Riviera though makes every moment memorable, if not immediately, subconsciously.

[Photo by Chad Smith]

We need to begin to pack our gear up, but the daunting task is further complicated with a 100-person party raging among us. Our crew moves from breaking down gear to passing a bottle of champagne, from clearing off memory cards to posing for photos with the band. Thankfully the house manager of the Riv gives us the green light to leave everything as is overnight and they open up the theater for us the next evening. It’s New Year’s Eve and we need a break from all the work. As the backstage clears out and we say our farewells, our crew departs while Chad and I organize a few final items. We head out to see our good friends in Future Rock playing next door and enjoy the first bit of 2011 amongst good people at the Kinetic Playground.

The End

Nothing sums up a long shoot like coming into an empty cavernous theater on New Year’s Day after a long night of revelry and having to do four hours of work. There is no one in the Riviera but the employee sent from the Aragon to let us in plus Chad and I. The backstage area is eerily quiet, a sharp contrast to the previous five nights. In the silence we wrap up lenses, box up camera, disassemble tripods and repackage every last piece of filming gear. Packing up the accessories we discuss the shoot and laugh about the events of the past five days. We lug the boxes out to our cars and cram them for delivery to UPS the next day. As I pull away from the Riviera down the empty streets of Chicago and the end of an amazing week, I rest easy knowing that the highlights of the shows were captured and will be relived by us all for many years to come.

Thanks to Brent for sharing an inside view of the process with us. We’ll be sure to keep you posted on the release of Umphrey’s new DVD.

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5 Responses

  1. Very nice article. Can’t wait to see this DVD footage, those are shows I’m going to want to relive over and over again. And share with some friends to convince them to GITV next time!

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