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OK Folks I need advice on trussing. Our band plays almost weekly doing everything from tiny little dive bars to bigger venues to weddings and outdoor parties. Currently we're running 8 SlimPAR-64's, a Moonflower and a Laser. Normally we try to place all that behind us. We're using a couple Odyssey LTP-2 (12' T Bar stands) and an old OnStage 12' T Bar for the Laser and Moonflower. It's tough to get the stands all lined up in some of these smaller places. In the bigger clubs it's no problem except for one that we play monthly where the office is behind the band setup and we wind up getting catty-cornered and everything is out of line no matter what we do.

We had access to a truss in the past (different band and that member moved on years ago) but it was nothing but a headache as I remember. The 2 problems I recall the most was you needed 4 people to set the thing up and then the truss portion was too tall for a smaller club. An I-beam truss is normally 12", and if you're sitting up a show on a tiny stage and have only an 8' ceiling you're down to 7' already then dropping lights farther down - too low for proper lighting and in the way. Then add the footprint of the stands and you're out over your drum kit and nothing gets lighted properly.

Does anyone know of a truss kit that uses a smaller beam or a single tube and uses smaller-footprint from the back? We need 10-15' across but we have to be able to mount the lights at a minimum of about 8' hight.

If you buy some good quality omega clamps you could put the truss lower and mount the lights that have to be higher on top or front? Wouldnt matter what type you got then.
Theres some reatively inexpensive alumunium goal posts with a small footprint and spring pin clips for fast setup from several of the main lighting and stage companies might be worth a look.

P.s. I would urge you not to entertain the idea of a single tube, it loses the strength and safe loading capacity that proper trussing needs to operate safely whilst 'on the road'. Even if your lights arent heavy a fall from even a few feet can do bad things to people that you would be liable for!

I think we tried mounting PAR's on top but couldn't aim them down far enough. And in the problem clubs the spacing from the wall with the tripod stands put the truss right over the drummer's head. Then the truss being low enough to put the PAR's up top put the bottom of the truss barely over him sitting. Ultimately it's being in a club with an 8' ceiling and a 1' stage. You're just screwed. The strength is the same concern I have with the single tube bar but I"ll look into the goal post idea. Thanks

Omega clamps (the full circle kind) give any angle you could need. Full 360 degrees both horizontally & vertically.
I was thinking this kind of low profile system

http://www.ultimax1.com/index.php?page= ... t&Itemid=1

and this style clamp

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Blizzard-MultiK ... 258ab6275c

You could just put lights hung under for low ceilings, and over when you have the room. There's plenty of variations of these including some with long & short sections you can interchange for different widths & heights combinations. So the 2,5m (about 8' 4") might not be the one, and you probably want a local dealer to wherever you are but for inspiration....could even add a band logo banner or hanging logo/starcloth for venues where there's room to put it further behind you.

The only other thing I can think of is just to use a bunch of upright poles - which I have done before as a Dj in awkward venues. I mean like a flat wide base plate with a threaded screw hole, and an upright pole with a threaded end. As loads of tripods would be a PITA and take up space.

That's the kind of truss I had in mind and would probably work well. I'll look for a US dealer on that. Those are the clamps I use too. With that type of stand it would work. With the tripod stands the truss is right over the drummer so you can't angle them down and spot the drummer at all. But yea with a post like that, or some kind of aluminum screw in base that would fix it. Great advice, thanks again it gives me more to go on.