Marshall, Trace Elliot, Fender

... and a dustbin, please!

Paul Kennard, manager of Backline Productions, was a little surprised by the last five items on the technical rider for the Vanessa Mae concerts at the new Vodaworld Centre in Midrand last month.

They read: 2 x metal dustbins, 1 x bicycle frame (minus wheels), 1 x oil drum, 1 x set of metal saucepans, 1 x dry cleaner’s rail.

It turned out that they were requested by the percussionist, Steve Williams, who uses the dry cleaner’s rail to hang a variety of odd "instruments" and plays them during a couple of the numbers.

Kennard said: "We filled the rider but apparently Williams has been let down by backline companies elsewhere in the world so, just to be on the safe side, he flew in his own.

"However, he did use one of our dustbins. Apparently he was impressed by the sound of the local Hendler dustbin which is a lot thicker and more resonant than the more flimsy type you get overseas."

Vanessa Mae, who is pictured with Kennard and Andy Innes, manager of Bay 3 Management, also spent time at the Backline/Bay 3 organisation’s premises in Strijdom Park, Randburg - to rehearse in their rehearsal studio.

Bay 3's Peter Godson said Vanessa was the first overseas’ star to rehearse in the studio, which is regularly used by Johnny Clegg, Mango Groove, Penny Penny, Squeal, Wendy Oldfield, to name but a few.

The Bay 3 organisation, launched two years ago, now comprises:

* the newly formed Bay 3 Management which after two months now looks after the affairs of Penny Penny, Hagonya, Seven and Nobody’s Fool. Negotiations are also advanced with a number of other artists.

* Bay 3 Recording Studio where an impressive list of local bands have recorded, among them, Amersham who recorded their last album there.

* Bay 3 Rehearsal Studio, which is also used for pre-production by bands planning to record at Bay 3 and in other studios.

* Backline Productions which supplies drum kits, amps, keyboards etc for local and overseas bands

* Backline Gig Bags which manufactures protective padded nylon bags for musical instruments, electrical implements etc.