SATURDAY NIGHTS at THE COCONUT GROVE
KFI's Remote Pickup, Records Big BandRemembered by Newcomb
The Neon Sign at |
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When the Hotel Ambassador and the Brown Derby first faced each other across Wilshire, KFI was broadcasting the big bands, live. *
Chuck Cecil hosted for Union Oil and we aired three consecutive bands every Saturday night. These were live remotes. We had more microphones in the field than in our studios.
A remote engineering assignment is both a privilege and a chore. It takes us out to interesting people and places. We are no longer ‘behind the glass’ but remotes are unpredictable and labor intensive.
My usual assignment was to the Coconut Grove in the Ambassador Hotel. It was so well known that people called it, ‘The Grove’ and were understood.
Come, with me; ride in our small engineer’s station wagon. We walk down the narrow alley behind the Vermont Studios to the garages where we are parked. The little import vehicle fits the space so well that you will have to wait outside while I back out. We hope that we haven’t forgotten some roll of cable or flashlight or …
At the Ambassador, we are not guests; we park in back, finding space with other service trucks. We bring our rolling dolly of stuff in through the kitchens. The cooks and waiters are handling so much food, so fast, that the walkway has been sprinkled with salt. It is slippery with spillage. –I remember reading that during battle, the British Navy used to sand the decks-. Our wheels and feet track wet salt on our way out to back-stage. We pass a large wooden bin full of round dinner rolls. (The waiters spill some rolls on to the floor and carefully level their trays as they stoop to retrieve them.)
The Grove, -there really are several, dusty, artificial coco-palms flanking the sage, ** - is dark. There should have been one lighted work light left at center stage. The telephone co. man has moved our line-terminal since last week. While searching for it, my flashlight rolls off into the dark footlight trough. (I shut my eyes to feel for my light).
We set up the mike stands and mikes, attach the cables and roll them out to the mixer. It is set up at stage left. With earphones, power for the mixer and the program line connected, we will comeback when the band has setup. Then we will check with the studio, check the line and the time. The remote announcer will be ready then. -This is Bob Kerr’s turn. Next week Dick Sinclair will be the KFI announcer. -
The waiters are rolling splintered round top tables into place. The tables look like old cable drums.
The Dining Room will look beautiful when the dinner guests file in. The ragged tables will then be covered with starched white linen and shining service, with small, lighted candles on each one. We are on our own now, with 30 minutes to explore the hotel.
There is a street of shops setup inside. Their lighted show windows have a variety of enticements for the guests.
Here is the House Engineer. Meet Frank. (He oversees the music fed into guest rooms, lobbies and meeting rooms. He runs the stage lighting for live shows. Frank puts new batteries into each cordless mike and receiver. Each is on a different radio frequency and marked for that performer to wear. In his hand is the tiny mike that will clip to the vocalist’s bra.
Frank offers a tour of dark, narrow, stairs and passageways. –Like the crew’s unseen passages on ships. - We follow closely, not wanting to be lost, so close to program time.
Twice we can see out, once at balcony level, and now on the roof! We are close to the giant, out door billboard. Fresh air is on our faces again and the bright city lights shine against the night sky, full of stars.
Frank is up here to change some of the sign letters. Each letter is some four feet high. It is formed of small individual lamps in ceramic sockets. They are spaced along in the letter shaped, white painted, troughs. There is a heavy cord and plug for each letter. Frank connects these to the row of receptacles. Two metal hangers support each letter as he lifts it into place on to the horizontal, pipe scaffold.
Frank’s font is an untidy pile of rusting metal on the hotel roof. He shuffles through the pile to spell out next week’s attractions.
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Our tour is over. We are back, to back-stage. Now, there is lots of light. The ‘Grove’ Ballroom is beautiful. Party people are seated at the tables; the Band is discordantly, fussing with their instruments. It is time to set the heavy, M1*** mike stand at front center stage, for the vocalist and Bob Kerr.
(As a young man, I felt self-conscious crossing the open stage. Not yet, knowing that magically, I was invisible! )
The band plays a set for the guests before the broadcast portion of the program. I send this down the line to KFI master control. I check the balance with Ray Grammes. Because, I can’t hear the bass in the old style earphones.
I hand cue Bob Kerr. He holds up his hand for quiet and the band’s down beat starts the program. He starts his stopwatch at the same instant. He will see that we end on time, with the Band’s own, closing theme. As Bob makes his closing announcement, he will cue me to start a slow, board fade. Allowing for an overlap of program, so that the KFI studio engineer can cut away without losing continuity.
The band takes a break and we strike the setup. Reversing all that we have done. We pack out our stuff. We roll through the relatively quiet kitchen and find our station wagon in the dim parking lot.
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Back at 141 Vermont, the KFI all-night programming is plodding along as if nothing had happened. The loud sounds of the band still ring in our ears, but the Big Band party is over……..(Until next Saturday night.)
*These Big Band sounds are now in the SPERDVAC library. I remember Dick Stabile, Freddy Martin and Russ Morgan.
**The GROVE is named for its spacious setback from Wiltshire. This valuable setting is filled with tall Palms and a wide carpet of lush lawn. The City has built up around this unexpected Oasis.
***This is a studio mike stand. It is used on this remote because the dancers may bump into it.
Note: the Ambassador and the Coconut Grove are gone now. Partly because the location was so spacious and costly.
We are pleased again, when we remember, the lights, the dancers, the Big Bands and KFI’s Saturday Nights at the Coconut Grove.