Rick Springfield and Pat Benatar Concert Mixing Desks

These are the mixing boards for Rick Springfield and Pat Benatar when they played recently at The Mountain Winery in Saratoga, California.  They were located back in the bleacher seating section of the facility.  I think Springfield's board is located on the left side of the image and Benatar's is on the right.

Joan Jett and The Blackhearts at Mountain Winery in Saratoga, September 7, 2013

Joan Jett and The Blackhearts perform at The Mountain Winery in Saratoga, CA., September 7, 2013.  I forgot what a nice cover version she does of "Crimson and Clover".

Cheap Trick's Crazy Guitars!

I saw cheap Trick perform at the Mountain Winery venue in Saratoga, CA.  As usual, the band paraded about a number of unusual guitars.  Tom Peterson steadily banged away at his invention, the 12 string bass.  What a devastating tone this thing delivers:  a thick, metallic drone that can pierce through Cheap Trick's instrumental wall of sound or anchor the bottom end of the rhthym section.  Rick Nielsen, the lead guitarist for the group, trotted out this yellow box shaped axe and his monstrosity, the 5 necked guitar.  Lead singer Robin Zander dons an assortment of guitars as well but seems to favor the 12 string guitar format.  It is best to hear Cheap Trick in a small venue at maximum volume levels.