When Gearwire left Sam Rosenthal (of black tape for a blue girl) at Gothic Fest in Chicago, he had a dead E-MU ESI-4000. He contacted Gearwire after the show to let us know how everything worked out. In part one, we listed all the options he laid out that day (replace the ESI, replace the ZIP drive with an external zip drive, borrow a keyboard and do the best he could, or fake like he was playing).

Rosenthal refused to consider the last option and had settled on number three when he received a call from Mary from GAND in Northfield, IL (a good way North of Chicago).

“When I spoke with her previously, she said it was about 45 minutes by car to GAND, which had me quickly ruling out them as an option. But she says ‘Hey, I was talking to a customer about your problem, and he said he had a Zip100 and he'd loan it to you.’ I thank her, but I don't have a car, and it's already around 8pm (We go on at 11), and I have to get to the venue by 10, and I haven't shaved or eaten yet. 'No, I'll drive it down to you,' she offers. I ask if it has the 50 pin SCSI. She says she hasn't seen it. She's gonna drive to the guy's house, grab it, then come to the hotel.”

Sam then comments that he wouldn’t expect a music store in New York (where Rosenthal lives) to give someone with a problem free oxygen let alone this sort of help.

“I am reminded why I liked the people in Chicago. Them and Scandinavians! Some of the best people on the planet! So, I get ready; Mary shows up. So close, no cigar. It doesn't have the right 50 pin SCSI. ‘You can have it,’ she says.”

Rosenthal gave her gas money and got her into the show (by having her help him lug Attrition’s Kurzweil synth into the venue).

“We drag it over to the venue (it has wheels) and she looks official while helping me through the door. We get to the stage, and when the time comes, I set up my equipment, we do a quick line check. ‘Oh, you have a flutist!’ Mary says, she decides to stay for the show,” says Rosenthal. “Anyway, the show is great. The sounds are slightly different, and the beginning of For you will burn your wings upon the sun sounds like it was Phillip Glass, because of the patch I chose. One song, The Gravediggers, I sit out on. I never found the right sound for that one.”

Sam says he was happy he managed to stay calm and explore all the ways to solve the problem. As he says; “I had to solve this challenge - freaking out isn't a solution.” He adds that the folks at GAND, and Andy’s deserve a medal."

“Thanks for saving the show!” says Rosenthal.

We can only add that being polite to everyone involved and not throwing a fit pays off. People screaming at the sound people, blaming people in their band, the promoters or the Norse gods happens (ask around). It isn’t uncommon to see this happen — even though the gear that is broken is no one’s responsibility but the musician’s. So be nice!