Written By Michael Alan Basham, Photographed by Sharis DeJaynes
In the movie “The Wizard of Oz,” there is a line where the surprised exposed poser-of-a-Wizard says, “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.”
Well, if you are an entertainer, or musician appearing at any Galveston Park Board venue, then you really want to pay attention to “the man behind” it all – Jeb Adame, “the one stop, rock, pop, go-to man.”
That goes for country, R&B, Jazz, and Special events too. Jeb, is the logistical and equipment stage authority when working with Park Board performances of all types or sizes.
At Mardi Gras when you need a set-up for the massive Budweiser Stage, you are going to pray that “Jeb is in the House,” and he will be. From crates and bags and boxes, an endless maze of wires and cables are deployed to lots of things with nobs, plugs, colored lights, and speakers as big as cars!
This is the equipment which makes the sound, which plays the music, and runs the lights, on the great big stage that “Jeb Built.”
And nothing happens ‘til Jeb Adame, sound engineer, master magician, and loud noise genius says, “Let’s Rawk!” He is there throughout the show because as everyone with a guitar and an amplifier already knows – if something can go wrong it will – try, try, and try again.
At 40 years old, Adame has worked with countless stars and music “Gods” and has probably seen most every production related nightmare that could happen to an engineer, but he keeps on smiling and he keeps on keepin’ on until everything is right – both coming and going.
Adame’s produced a music series called “Party on the Pier” at Pier 21 which featured Carolyn Wonderland Vallejo and Paula Nelson, and also “Boots on the Beach” with Jerry Jeff Walker in 2013. He booked the band Asleep at the Wheel for the Tremont Ball in 2013 and the final 2014 show. Jeb also has done a summer jam camp for children called “Galveston Island Jam Camp” with Hamilton Loomis and Sharon Wyrick.
He also rents amps and drums and offers live sound and event production of all kinds to festivals like the “Brazoria County Crawfish Festival,” where he sponsors a stage for the 3-day event. The “Brazoria County Crawfish Festival” will be held on the 3rd weekend in April 2016.
After each performance, and after Jeb and his crew take down all the equipment and the shows are over – like when that great big Budweiser stage is packed up – Jeb is back on the road to the next town, the next gig, and the next music adventure.
Jeb, and his new intern Roshawn, are on the job setting up the sound equipment and lining up the bands at 2016’s Music in the Park free concerts at Sängerfest Park – where people gather to indulge in good sounds and sights, and the crowd goes “Ahhh.” Be sure to bring your dancing shoes!
To contact Jeb Adame, U.S. Backline, call (512)371-1897, Jeb@usbackline.com, or go to usbackline.com.
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