Bill Bailey
Back when I was trying to co-run a comedy club, I held a run of Edinburgh previews (or more accurately the person with the contacts organised it and I did the donkey work and techie stuff, such as it was).

We had Bill Bailey in for one of the shows and before the doors opened we were getting his kit set up.

I was trying to be all cool and knowledgeable (despite being largely clueless, not a great combo I admit). So when he asked me if I had a DI box I breezily replied - "Yeah you can DI into the amp no problem mate".

We had a Yamaha PA and it was pretty good for it's cost and size and had a DI socket, like the crappy practice amp I had at home so I at least knew what that was. I thought he was referring to that when he was asking for a DI box but I didn't want to look foolish asking questions so instead looked foolish by making assumptions.

"No, I need a DI box if I'm going to plug my guitar into that PA" said the bearded one (still very patiently and nicely).

Once again I told him he could DI into the amp.

Slowly, patiently, like you would a child, BB explained what a DI box was, why he needed one and asked again if we had one.

I went into full on shoe-gazing mumbly arsed-ness and said "Oh. Um, no then."

He said "No problems, I'll do all keyboard stuff tonight".

And he did, he was great too (he did that musical about the ants "Human slaves, in an Insect Nation ah, ahaahaaaah" and the Leg of Time "Terry, you slag you stole the leg of time, give it back before you get a slap!")

After that I resolved to always ask questions when I didn't know the answer to things. And I bought a DI box.
(Wascally Weasel now with 100% fewer jokes., Thu 29 Jun 2006, 13:53, Reply)