What does September 11th, a disastrous day that left permanent scars on New York City, Washington, DC, Pennsylvania, and the world’s mindset, have to do with live sound? Ultimately, the terrorist attacks unleashed that day took a tragic human toll so immense that the shock waves have hit everybody in America.

The threat of terrorism still looms large to people across the nation, but with almost two months elapsed since that day, live sound professionals can now take stock of the situation. ProSoundWeb talked to sound pros across the country and found that no one was immune to economic and emotional fallout. But like everyone else, live sound companies and freelancers are starting -- slowly, surely, and cautiously -- to recover.

If you felt suddenly cut off from your work as the day unfolded, you weren’t alone. “On September 11th, virtually every show or public event in America was cancelled,” says Gary Bongiovanni, Editor in Chief of Pollstar. “Every tour that was on the road at that time had to have some shows cancelled or postponed, so there was a lot of rerouting going on. The fact that the entire airline system was shut down created a logistical nightmare for acts. I’m sure there were millions of dollars lost (by the touring industry) that week.”

For Rod Nielsen, co-owner (along with Roy Kircher) of Big House Sound in Austin, TX, September 11th was the beginning of a month of uncertainty due to the trauma inflicted not just on touring acts, but on local promoters and audiences. “People were just really holding back on promotion, wondering ‘Should we go back to business as usual?’” says Nielsen, who estimates his company ran at 70% of normal capacity for September and October. “Attendance was down 50-60% for the next few weeks – people were just not showing up, not buying tickets. So there’s the stress of the promoters, and the stress that they kind of hand down to production people.

“Today, the stress is beginning to be relieved. Now we see the country can be at war, these kinds of things can happen, and people will still buy tickets and go to shows. Business can continue on. It lets everyone breathe a big sigh of relief. You can make your house payments, take care of your family, and I can take care of my employees.”

In NYC itself, getting back to “normal” has been a slower process. Although business has begun picking up again for Javier Francisco, manager/co-owner of AudioForce Live Sound (www.audioforcelivesound.com), he’s found it necessary to offer promoters discounts to get them back in the party-giving mood. “No one is taking initiative – they want to see the numbers,” he says. “I can help my business by just covering the payroll for the gig, and giving the gear basically for free.”

New logistical challenges are also coming with the Big Apple territory. “There’s now major security at events, so that people showing up will feel a little more secure,” Francisco notes. “That slows me down a lot. Now there’s a big search before you can go in, and entering buildings has been rough – my employees have been given a hard time.”

“Be aware that certain venues are going to need you to spend more time, so your labor costs may be up, but otherwise it’s business as usual,” says Baker Lee, Head of Audio Production at S.I.R., where business has climbed back to roughly 80% of what would be normal for the time period. “Definitely there were a few weeks of real shutdown, but my October was fairly busy.”

Whether you’re a freelance engineer or head up a large staff, a focus on solid business principles can help guide you through the particularly challenging environment that’s resulted. “Continue to do the things that make you successful, without trying to expand into areas you’re unfamiliar with,” Nielsen recommends. “We’re focusing on what we already know. The last three years we were trying to expand as quickly as possible and take on as much as we could. But there’s a point, like right now, where you say, ‘Let’s stop trying to expand and keep focusing on our current clients by giving the best service possible.’”

For California-based engineer Pete Dockendorf, a commitment to diversity is key. Besides working for regional sound company Third Ear Sound, he does mastering and sound restoration on his own Sonic Solutions setup, as well as home theater installation. “Diversity is important for engineers and sound companies,” he says. “But I also think your normal role is important. I don’t think there’s much different you can try but to do your job right and well. Try to be more understanding of the artists that are traveling. There’s going to be surprises, and you have to be more flexible and forthcoming with assistance, which is part of the job description anyway.”

If work stays slow, however, hang in there and remember that your job is tied to some basic human needs that are here to stay. “Live music is never going to go away,” confirms Gary Bongiovanni. “We are social beings and there’s just something about being in a room of people with similar interests, whether it’s seeing the Yankees play baseball or Eric Clapton playing guitar. We like to be surrounded by other people, and that’s what the live events business is all about.”