ALL YOU CAN EAT TOUR REHEARSAL by Florence Hutchinson
It was a typical January evening in Vancouver, cold, grey and very wet. Well, not so typical, I was off to see a rehearsal for kd's upcoming tour. Even a very modest kd had recently told me that she was very happy with the way she was singing so I knew that I was in for a real treat.
The old small arena tucked away in Vancouver's East Eng was buzzing with activity when I arrived. Set designers, lighting techs, key grips, riggers, etc were experimenting with equipment of all sizes and shapes. They had obviously put in a lot of time in the preceding weeks as everything looked ready to go to this untrained eye. "Are you kidding?" said set designer John B, "I've got people working on all sorts of things as we speak". I was surprised to hear that Production Manager Grant was having trouble with the sound board this particular night as he looked his usual calm, reserved self…married life must be suiting him. Production Assistant Paul had that look on his face that many of us would recognise and dread, the computer had just crashed!
Up on the stage, kd was fiddling madly with her head and mumbling something about 'ear monitors' … they would have to go. The backup singers were quietly singing the harmonies to the chorus of "this". Ben Mink (although not touring this year but obviously still very involved with the project) was going over some chords with one of the musicians while the others worked on their own parts. Out came Guitar Tech Ron, having just replaced a broken string and everyone took their places.
A familiar into then "Just a kiss, just a kiss, I have lived just for this…" kd was in fine form!! They went through the song three times with a quiet group meeting between each version. Out came Ron with a different guitar and it was time to work on "Just Keep Me Movin". The new arrangement was amazing, and kd and the band sounded great even if one of the backing singers was singing 'grooving on an ocean' instead of 'on a notion'.
By now my curiosity had got the best of me…it was time to see a set list. Grant showed me a long list of songs but told me these were the songs that they were rehearsing only. A minute later, kd asked Ben if she should not do one song, and do another instead. It was clear that the set list had not bee decided on yet. I have heard about 'delayed gratification', so I could put it into practice now as I would have to wait for an actual concert to find out which songs, in which order, she had decided on.
Unfortunately I wasn't able to catch a lot of the rehearsal as they went all day. The crew would start at 8am, the band at 11am and vocals by 1pm. Usually they lasted until well after 7pm, but I must admit I did race over after work on more than one occasion just to listen and enjoy.
kd's State of the Art Sound System
