Theater instructor for live sound and staging Bradford Williams said his students did a great job setting up a concert at Burnight Center Theatre.
His sound production students set up the sound for Creama 4, a spanish rock band. Students that were knowledgeable how to work lighting also handled it for the show.
“We (the students and I) had a real successful show…even though we had a small power failure due to a power strip but once we rearranged the power we almost went on for over an hour. It was a long concert.”
The sound and staging courses are split in two for the semester. They are part of the Portable Event Production courses in Cerritos College. Williams teaches the sound course.
“This course is all about introduction to live sound production…learn all about the sound system components, how they all interface, how to basically set up a stage for a band.
Students learn from microphones to loudspeakers and everything in between.
Describing the sound as “monstrous,” theater major Rafael Abundes said a digital sound console was used, students mic’ed all the drums, bass, guitar.
“It was awesome,” Abundes said, “We had some subs (speakers) that we were using that radiated the whole sound of the room. It sounded great.”
Williams said this is the first and only concert this class will be doing this semester. Before that, there was eight weeks of “intense” theory, lecture and lab. After that, students are put to work.
“That’s the cool thing about this program. It’s like a secret society type. While other people are constantly reading their books…this is our hands on work,” Abundes said.
He is the one who lead Creama 4 into the direction of playing the show at Burnight Center Theater. The members and Abundes have worked together before.
From Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Mana covers and playing original songs in between, Creama 4 played for promotion and to get new people to listen to them.
Cream 4’s originals include a ballad, “Que Distancia,” “Matandome,” and the last one performed, “Illusion.”
Having the same compliment has Williams, guitarist Jorge Aguilar (filled in as bassist) of Creama 4 said the students did a great job with the sound and was content with it.
“Most of the time we (Creama 4 members) don’t get good sound. I was pretty satisfied. I didn’t have to kiss the mike so much.”
As for the band’s music, psychology major Oscar Jaramillo said “I found the rhythm rather tasty end exciting.”