A gigging musicians best friend.
If you’ve ever had the (dis)pleasure of having to move a full drum kit from your jam room, to your bandmates’ sedan, then on to the venue (and the backstage labyrinth of loading bays, side doors and narrow hallways that lie between you and your natural habitat-the stage), then you’ve probably found yourself occasionally daydreaming about Roadies.
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Nothing to be embarrassed about. Perfectly normal. Especially considering the backbreaking logistics and immense physical toll that comes with even the most perfunctory of pub gigs. It’s no surprise that for most gigging musicians (but especially for drummers, who undoubtedly have it the worst), the dream of having actual road crew-employees who specialise in the bump-in/bump procedure-is the kind of practical luxury that most would probably trade the Bass player for.
Suffice to say, bass players can now breathe a little easier thanks to the the awesome new Multi-cart by American cargo experts, Rock-n-Roller-a clever little product designed to alleviate some of the stresses of the itinerant drummer, touring muso, mobile DJ or any musical undertaking requiring load in/load out, and the dreaded carting of gear.
Rock-N-Roller are award winning designers of small scale porter solutions and transformable utility carts, with an eye clearly on the music and events industries. They are the leading innovator and manufacturer in the field, combining flexible design with road-ready efficiency and durability as well as a bunch of handy, muso-adjacent features that (quite literally) take the weight off your shoulders.
Portability and functionality are at the forefront of the Rock-n-Roller design brief and it shows, with eight different shapes you can create by folding and expanding different parts of the cart. Boasting an ant like ability to support up to 226kg from its diminutive 9kg frame, the Rock-n-Roller Multi-Cart is sure to impress in its ability of overdeliver in the strength department. Honestly, you’ll have a hard time getting your head around how such a lightweight, foldable unit is performing this kind of trickery. With ease, the Rock-n-Roller can carry a band’s worth of gear, including the full drum kit.
The frame itself can also fold flat for easy transportation between gigs, or for easy storage when not in use. With it’s clever ability to change its dimensions and layout, providing everything from basic dolly’s, right through to semi enclosed, high stacker style setups and platform/luggage options, the Rock-n-Roller covers plenty of ground in terms of application. Like anything with this many options, you will likely fall into a couple of regular modes, but in all honesty to find the limits of it’s handiness would probably take a lot longer than we have time for in this review.
There are also a whole host of other thoughtful features included on the Rock-n Roller, designed to make your life a little safer/easier. If you get stuck on an incline, the caster brakes can be engaged to make sure your gear stays in the right place. Couple this with the built in stair-climbers and you’ll save your time and energy to perform where it really matters.
Rock-N-Roller say it’s used by ‘major TV networks, news crews, pro-sports teams and Fortune 500 companies’ and it’s easy to see why. There is something very ‘road crew’ about its design and execution. You could easily envision it being a perfect addition to an outside broadcast rig or being pushed around by a lanyard wielding soundie on set or backstage at a music festival.
In practice, the Rock-n-Roller is one of those products that might not always be front of mind, but after exactly five minutes of using it, you will be wondering how you ever got by without it. Guitarists and bass players have been expounding the virtues of casters on cabinets for years. The Rock-n-Roller is that concept cranked up to 11 and the obvious upside is sure to put a smile on any musician’s face.
For people who busk, the Rock-n-Roller is an absolute no brainer. Having to transport your gear through the hustle and bustle of the city can be draining and challenging at the best of times using the traditional methods. A product like the Rock-n-Roller, makes light work of such a task, and the four wheel design ensures better stability and safer passage for your expensive equipment. Rock-n-Roller themselves say it reduces time and effort by 50% or more, which means 50% more time to focus on the task at hand (playing an awesome show.)
I can see this product being a big hit with the mobile DJ market as well. Having to relocate speakers and DJ gear between gigs can be time consuming and you might not want to ask your clients to help as it can look unprofessional. The Multi-Cart can easily hold all of your gear and even a subwoofer if the gig demands it.
The combination of the high quality components and the extremely intelligent design make for an extremely trustworthy transport solution. Designed with musicians in mind, the Rock-n-Roller proves an absolute natural when it comes to gig logistics and in terms of bump in/bump out procedure, you’d be hard pressed to find anything more suited to the task. An absolute back saver and a worthy addition to any mobile or touring rig.
For more information check out Rock-N-Roller and for local enquiries get in touch with Amber Technology.