Pass Posse and Thievery Corporation
Part 1
Recently I received this e-mail:
This is a message from Nelson Pass at diyAudio Forums ( http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/index.php ). The diyAudio Forums owners cannot accept any responsibility for the contents of the email.
To email Nelson Pass, you can use this online form: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/member.php?action=mailform&userid=177
OR, by email:
mailto:nelson@passlabs.com
This is the message:
Good evening.
I have 8 tickets to see Thievery Corporation
at the Warfield (Market and 6th) on Sunday
May 8 at 8 p.m. I am trying to convince my
wife to go. What is the best hotel very near
there, if you please.
And.....
Would you like a pair of tickets?
*********
Well, why would I be offered tickets to a concert by The One and Only?
Is it because I’m a well known moderator? An electronics intellectual?, An audiophile savant?
None of the above I’m sure- because none of it is true except that I am a moderator. Also I have corresponded with him occasionally over the last 3 years about my SOZ amp, which I can never finish because I want it to be real cool looking.
Nelson was patiently helping me through e-mail with the project, then one day he mentioned that there was a web forum......DIY Audio.... that had a lot of help for people like me. (and I needed it!)
Interestingly, DIY Audio had people working on Pass projects even before Nelson had heard about them. No doubt the interest in his amps was due to first the great reputation they have, and second, that he had already begun Pass DIY to help people duplicate his old models and develop new educatonal projects.
Mr. Pass lives a couple of hours from San Francisco, He charmingly seems to consider this The Big City, and since he lives in the Sierra foothills, perhaps it is!
A while back he posted a thread about attending a concert here- renting a limo and driving to town for some music with his fellow Passlabs workers at the Fillmore, a famous venue for rock shows. I posted that I only live 3 blocks from there and to tell me next time he was coming and I’d walk over, get some tickets and join them.
Well he did call me, offered me tickets, and we tried to get together, but the band Beausoleil, a Cajun / Zydeco band was cancelled.
So… this time we were determined to make it happen or at least I was. Of course my e-mail started acting screwy as soon as we tried to nail down the details.
The Warfield is another famous theater used for rock shows, and it is more like 10 blocks from my house, through a pretty rough area. I convinced my wife Maria Elena to go, and at 7:30PM we were scurrying through the Tenderloin District, which is where one can buy any drugs at any hour, (and populated by a very diverse crowd enjoying them, often in a horizontal position) hoping to get through there in time to photo Nelson and the Pass Posse arriving.
Attached is a photo of the event. With Nelson were his wife Jill, Elena, who takes care of the business stuff of running Pass Labs, and her husband Dan.
We rushed inside to not miss a minute of the show; and then sat for over an hour until things started. Rumor was that the band “wanted us to get to know each other” before the show. Or maybe they just weren’t ready!
That gave me a chance to interrogate Nelson, and I learned a lot- that the woman next to him was his wife Jill- that he has a daughter and a son; one in high school and one in college. He grew up in Santa Rosa – a town about an hour north of San Francisco, then attended university at University of California-Davis, and later moved to Foresthill, where Pass Labs is today. He may have lived some other places too, but I skipped over that. So he has ended up about 150 miles in a southeasterly direction from where he started out. At that rate he will be living in Florida in about the year 2,453.
AMAZINGLY I also went to U.C. Davis, but about 2 years after he arrived- so I guess we were there at the same time. I suspect he studied harder than I. I believe it was Physics for him. I was studying “Design” which I’m SURE was a lot less rigorous. Later I had to go to architecture school to get real job. I think Nelson has successfully avoided ever getting “a real job” -lucky dog.
In that college era, we weren’t supposed to be materialistic, BUT the guy with the coolest stereo was a pretty cool guy! At least among the guys.
Although we thought it would help, I doubt that the women were too impressed. Well, I think they were more impressed than they would be now….. Did I mention that Davis is a tiny somewhat isolated town? Most of us there in my time spent many hours partying in front of their stereos because there wasn’t much else to do…
So my theory is that a lot of the people that are into audio like Nelson and I are in our 50’s and got the idea that audio was cool back in our impressionable college years. We still think audio is cool –even if maybe not everyone of other ages are as convinced.
Myself, I never got around to the cool stereo, so I'm making up for it now-finally getting a "killer" system together - hey! where did the babes go?
One of the great things about DIY Audio for me was discovering that there are still plenty of audio geeks in the world of all ages to keep this interest going for a long time!
Next: the actual concert
Part 1
Recently I received this e-mail:
This is a message from Nelson Pass at diyAudio Forums ( http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/index.php ). The diyAudio Forums owners cannot accept any responsibility for the contents of the email.
To email Nelson Pass, you can use this online form: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/member.php?action=mailform&userid=177
OR, by email:
mailto:nelson@passlabs.com
This is the message:
Good evening.
I have 8 tickets to see Thievery Corporation
at the Warfield (Market and 6th) on Sunday
May 8 at 8 p.m. I am trying to convince my
wife to go. What is the best hotel very near
there, if you please.
And.....
Would you like a pair of tickets?
*********
Well, why would I be offered tickets to a concert by The One and Only?
Is it because I’m a well known moderator? An electronics intellectual?, An audiophile savant?
None of the above I’m sure- because none of it is true except that I am a moderator. Also I have corresponded with him occasionally over the last 3 years about my SOZ amp, which I can never finish because I want it to be real cool looking.
Nelson was patiently helping me through e-mail with the project, then one day he mentioned that there was a web forum......DIY Audio.... that had a lot of help for people like me. (and I needed it!)
Interestingly, DIY Audio had people working on Pass projects even before Nelson had heard about them. No doubt the interest in his amps was due to first the great reputation they have, and second, that he had already begun Pass DIY to help people duplicate his old models and develop new educatonal projects.
Mr. Pass lives a couple of hours from San Francisco, He charmingly seems to consider this The Big City, and since he lives in the Sierra foothills, perhaps it is!
A while back he posted a thread about attending a concert here- renting a limo and driving to town for some music with his fellow Passlabs workers at the Fillmore, a famous venue for rock shows. I posted that I only live 3 blocks from there and to tell me next time he was coming and I’d walk over, get some tickets and join them.
Well he did call me, offered me tickets, and we tried to get together, but the band Beausoleil, a Cajun / Zydeco band was cancelled.
So… this time we were determined to make it happen or at least I was. Of course my e-mail started acting screwy as soon as we tried to nail down the details.
The Warfield is another famous theater used for rock shows, and it is more like 10 blocks from my house, through a pretty rough area. I convinced my wife Maria Elena to go, and at 7:30PM we were scurrying through the Tenderloin District, which is where one can buy any drugs at any hour, (and populated by a very diverse crowd enjoying them, often in a horizontal position) hoping to get through there in time to photo Nelson and the Pass Posse arriving.
Attached is a photo of the event. With Nelson were his wife Jill, Elena, who takes care of the business stuff of running Pass Labs, and her husband Dan.
We rushed inside to not miss a minute of the show; and then sat for over an hour until things started. Rumor was that the band “wanted us to get to know each other” before the show. Or maybe they just weren’t ready!
That gave me a chance to interrogate Nelson, and I learned a lot- that the woman next to him was his wife Jill- that he has a daughter and a son; one in high school and one in college. He grew up in Santa Rosa – a town about an hour north of San Francisco, then attended university at University of California-Davis, and later moved to Foresthill, where Pass Labs is today. He may have lived some other places too, but I skipped over that. So he has ended up about 150 miles in a southeasterly direction from where he started out. At that rate he will be living in Florida in about the year 2,453.
AMAZINGLY I also went to U.C. Davis, but about 2 years after he arrived- so I guess we were there at the same time. I suspect he studied harder than I. I believe it was Physics for him. I was studying “Design” which I’m SURE was a lot less rigorous. Later I had to go to architecture school to get real job. I think Nelson has successfully avoided ever getting “a real job” -lucky dog.
In that college era, we weren’t supposed to be materialistic, BUT the guy with the coolest stereo was a pretty cool guy! At least among the guys.
Although we thought it would help, I doubt that the women were too impressed. Well, I think they were more impressed than they would be now….. Did I mention that Davis is a tiny somewhat isolated town? Most of us there in my time spent many hours partying in front of their stereos because there wasn’t much else to do…
So my theory is that a lot of the people that are into audio like Nelson and I are in our 50’s and got the idea that audio was cool back in our impressionable college years. We still think audio is cool –even if maybe not everyone of other ages are as convinced.
Myself, I never got around to the cool stereo, so I'm making up for it now-finally getting a "killer" system together - hey! where did the babes go?
One of the great things about DIY Audio for me was discovering that there are still plenty of audio geeks in the world of all ages to keep this interest going for a long time!
Next: the actual concert
Attachments
Pass Posse phase 2
Being old and unhip, I admit I knew nothing of Thievery Corporation. I have always felt pretty cool that I got in on the punk/new wave scene in San Francisco during the late 70’s and early 80’s. After that, my knowledge of current music has lagged almost completely. Nelson clearly has links into the music scene so is well up on me regarding current bands.
Before accepting his offer I googled them and listened to some tracks from their website. Pretty nice ambient, electronica, trance stuff I thought, but with enough rhythm to keep it interesting. I was a bit concerned that on each track of the current album they had a person sitting in with them. What will they sound like without help I wondered?
Well, I’ll never know because help is the point. From what I could gather, the nucleus of the band is 2 guys that were turntablist/DJ/mixer types that knew all the current good musicians.
So they seem to have a core group of 2 killer drummers/percussionists- well known I’m sure, a bass player, and a guitarist/sitar player.
The final part of the scene was the tremendous sound system which allowed them to insert their rhythms directly into our brains. It was a hell of a lot louder than the music tracks I had heard implied- but what a beat, what mixing, what GREAT drumming! Wheee haaaaaaaa.
Jill, who loves to dance at concerts, and who had come even though Nelson couldn’t promise her dance music, was in the aisles in no time and danced pretty much the whole concert. I’ll admit that my wife, MariaElena and I spent more than a couple of numbers in the aisle also.
Nelson, Elena and Dan didn’t seem to be into the dancing much, but were groovin’ to the music, no doubt.
Then a guest came on for a number, then another one for the next, then a different one for the one after. My poor music vocabulary limits me here, but there was a Brazilian singer, reggae/dancehall type stuff singers, rapping, and general spacing out all layered and collaged into a ripping good time. Best I could count there were at least 13 people performing in total.
The light show projected around the stage brought back memories of those Greatful Dead shows in San Francisco back in the day, and there was clearly a link to that past via the rave/club scene that’s been going on for quite a while now, ie, a lot of people looked pretty stoned. We stayed pure in the interest of journalistic integrity or being old or something. Clearly most of the audience knew what to expect and were total fans of the group, calling them back for a couple of encores, then it was over.
We were pretty beat and Nelson was wondering if his hearing was permanently compromised,(Don’t worry DIY readers, The ringing in my ears only lasted a short time so I doubt he was permanently impaired) Jill looked pretty tired in a euphoric sort of way. Elena was still with us but Dan had disappeared – apparently to talk to the roadies/sound people.
We trooped out to the curb to flag down Nelson’s limo, and it eventually arrived. We all piled in – except for Dan who had disappeared. No one seemed too surprised at this and it gave Nelson time to open a bottle of champagne while we drove around the block. Now that’s an advantage of having a professional driver!
On the second lap, Dan appeared, and we dragged him into the limo and took off for my house, while he filled us in on background gossip. The photo attached is looking forward at Nelson on the left, then Jill, then my wife Maria Elena. We were heading for my house, Nelson is either reliving the concert in his mind , or doesn't like a camera flash close up.
They left us at our home, we gave the driver directions to the freeway, and that’s the last we saw of them- but I see that Nelson has written some responses on the forum, and he responded to a short noteI sent him so I guess he got home OK.
So, thanks for all the fun Nelson, and I’m ready to go to the next one.
Being old and unhip, I admit I knew nothing of Thievery Corporation. I have always felt pretty cool that I got in on the punk/new wave scene in San Francisco during the late 70’s and early 80’s. After that, my knowledge of current music has lagged almost completely. Nelson clearly has links into the music scene so is well up on me regarding current bands.
Before accepting his offer I googled them and listened to some tracks from their website. Pretty nice ambient, electronica, trance stuff I thought, but with enough rhythm to keep it interesting. I was a bit concerned that on each track of the current album they had a person sitting in with them. What will they sound like without help I wondered?
Well, I’ll never know because help is the point. From what I could gather, the nucleus of the band is 2 guys that were turntablist/DJ/mixer types that knew all the current good musicians.
So they seem to have a core group of 2 killer drummers/percussionists- well known I’m sure, a bass player, and a guitarist/sitar player.
The final part of the scene was the tremendous sound system which allowed them to insert their rhythms directly into our brains. It was a hell of a lot louder than the music tracks I had heard implied- but what a beat, what mixing, what GREAT drumming! Wheee haaaaaaaa.
Jill, who loves to dance at concerts, and who had come even though Nelson couldn’t promise her dance music, was in the aisles in no time and danced pretty much the whole concert. I’ll admit that my wife, MariaElena and I spent more than a couple of numbers in the aisle also.
Nelson, Elena and Dan didn’t seem to be into the dancing much, but were groovin’ to the music, no doubt.
Then a guest came on for a number, then another one for the next, then a different one for the one after. My poor music vocabulary limits me here, but there was a Brazilian singer, reggae/dancehall type stuff singers, rapping, and general spacing out all layered and collaged into a ripping good time. Best I could count there were at least 13 people performing in total.
The light show projected around the stage brought back memories of those Greatful Dead shows in San Francisco back in the day, and there was clearly a link to that past via the rave/club scene that’s been going on for quite a while now, ie, a lot of people looked pretty stoned. We stayed pure in the interest of journalistic integrity or being old or something. Clearly most of the audience knew what to expect and were total fans of the group, calling them back for a couple of encores, then it was over.
We were pretty beat and Nelson was wondering if his hearing was permanently compromised,(Don’t worry DIY readers, The ringing in my ears only lasted a short time so I doubt he was permanently impaired) Jill looked pretty tired in a euphoric sort of way. Elena was still with us but Dan had disappeared – apparently to talk to the roadies/sound people.
We trooped out to the curb to flag down Nelson’s limo, and it eventually arrived. We all piled in – except for Dan who had disappeared. No one seemed too surprised at this and it gave Nelson time to open a bottle of champagne while we drove around the block. Now that’s an advantage of having a professional driver!
On the second lap, Dan appeared, and we dragged him into the limo and took off for my house, while he filled us in on background gossip. The photo attached is looking forward at Nelson on the left, then Jill, then my wife Maria Elena. We were heading for my house, Nelson is either reliving the concert in his mind , or doesn't like a camera flash close up.
They left us at our home, we gave the driver directions to the freeway, and that’s the last we saw of them- but I see that Nelson has written some responses on the forum, and he responded to a short noteI sent him so I guess he got home OK.
So, thanks for all the fun Nelson, and I’m ready to go to the next one.
Attachments
Actually, that is controversial in our house. My wife walks through there about every night coming home from work. She claims she feels safer where there an lots of people than where there are none and that the people there are caught up in their own dramas, and not really too interested in people unrelated to them. Also lots of police around... That IS generally a principle of urban design..that the dangerous parts are "where no one can hear you scream".
I'm not completely convinced, but try to tell someone-especially your wife, what to do!
So, my writing wasn't clear, but what I had to convince her of was that she would like the concert, she was OK with going through the Tenderloin/
I'm not completely convinced, but try to tell someone-especially your wife, what to do!
So, my writing wasn't clear, but what I had to convince her of was that she would like the concert, she was OK with going through the Tenderloin/
Gents,
i really enjoy pictures of limo's and shoes, but why all the hair ?
Cant you have a little consideration for the ones less of age and less of hair !!!
Nice reading stuff though, Vari-man.
(a close-up of Mrs Pass's shoes, next time, please, i cant get that size 12 thing out of my peanut)
i really enjoy pictures of limo's and shoes, but why all the hair ?
Cant you have a little consideration for the ones less of age and less of hair !!!
Nice reading stuff though, Vari-man.
(a close-up of Mrs Pass's shoes, next time, please, i cant get that size 12 thing out of my peanut)
Re: levels
When I had a chance to spend a day listening to Nelson's KleinHorns and El Pipe-o, he kept asking me, "You really don't listen any louder than that?" I can only imagine how loud that concert must have been.
The Warfield is a cool theater. I saw Phil and Friends there last year, did the Tenderloin walk, and spent the next week trying to get the smoke smell out of my clothes and hair- it was like spending two hours inside a bong.
When I had a chance to spend a day listening to Nelson's KleinHorns and El Pipe-o, he kept asking me, "You really don't listen any louder than that?" I can only imagine how loud that concert must have been.
The Warfield is a cool theater. I saw Phil and Friends there last year, did the Tenderloin walk, and spent the next week trying to get the smoke smell out of my clothes and hair- it was like spending two hours inside a bong.
Hi there
Nice to see Nelson having fun . I am wondering what amps and speakers were mounted in a limo . Must be aleph-Xes + some horn fullrange speakers..hehehhe
I like Thievery Corp. as well. And Kraftwerk.
Nelson , do you listen to them? For those in this part of the world, Kraftwerk will be playing on 16th Of June in Skopje (Macedonia). Check out for info:
http://www.lithiumrecords.com.mk/eindex.htm
Regards,
Vix
Nice to see Nelson having fun
. I am wondering what amps and speakers were mounted in a limo . Must be aleph-Xes + some horn fullrange speakers..hehehheI like Thievery Corp. as well. And Kraftwerk.
Nelson , do you listen to them? For those in this part of the world, Kraftwerk will be playing on 16th Of June in Skopje (Macedonia). Check out for info:
http://www.lithiumrecords.com.mk/eindex.htm
Regards,
Vix
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