If you are serious about recording, I would reccomend you check out www.soundprofessionals.com There are different options for mics.. I use binaural mics.. these record 'all around' sound like your ears would hear the sounds at a show.. if you have heard a bootleg with headphones and heard voices all around you that was recorded on binaurals.. the other option is cardioid (inside tunnel is shaped like a heart) mics.. they are more directional.. if you point them at the stage, you theoretically get the sound coming from the loudspeakers.. however if you turn around the mics will pick up whatever you point them at since they are so directional... The guy who recorded last year's WEEN show in Austin made a GREAT bootleg which sounded like a soundboard recording (where the recorder taps in to the actual soundboard.. if anyone knows how the hell you go about getting that done.. let me know..) anyways.. he made an awesome recording and he had a weird mic I'd never seen.. like a pretty big square mic.. he ran it up over the crowd with a stick and held it there the whole 3 hours (this year he had friend rotating out the 2 nights they played). Anyways, I'll try and find out what sort of mic he used to do that... I'm pretty happy with my binaurauls.. but you do pick up a lot of crowd noise esp in noisy venues or when a band is playing quietly... One more thing.. battery box.. these do something with the ohms of the mic.. since the little mics aren't normally powered.. they are susceptible to being heavily distorted by the loud volume of a rock show.. so check in to getting one of those (~$80). I couldn't do without mine. Good luck.. it's a real adventure until you realize the clubs/bands don't really care if you record most of the time. Then it becomes a hassle. But, in the long run.. it's very rewarding.. documenting shows you've gone to let's you relive them over and over.. plus I'm making connections with other people who record.. it's become a hobby.. you can talk shop, trade stories, and trade boots.. good times.
