10,000 Maniacs are, from lef, John Lombardo, Mary Ramsey, Jeff Erickson, Dennis Drew, Stev Gustafson, and Jerry Augustyniak. Submitted Photo

If you hear the band play now, you may notice a difference.

That’s because 10,000 Maniacs are playing better now due to some changes within the last five years. The band has invested a substantial amount of money in an in-ear monitoring system.

“That really has made us a much better band because we can hear each other. It was also an effort to try to save our ears. I have (a) terrible (condition of) tinnitus,” Steve Gustafson, the band’s bass player said. Gustafson said he has been to the Cleveland Clinic, has seen a specialist in Chicago, and has been to several audiologists, but the condition is nonstop.

“I’ve been to physical therapy. I’ve seen different dentists about jaw issues. It’s in both ears, but my right ear is worse because that’s where the cymbals crashes are. The drums were always on my right side.”

But the condition has not deterred the bassist from still performing. And to mitigate the condition, Gustafson said the band performs without any on-stage amplification. In-ear monitors look like earphones, but work like headphones where each member can hear his or her own mix. Currently the members each have decibel readers so that each member can read what their own levels are.

“I have been trying to keep mine at 90 (decibels) or lower. It’s quiet but you get used to it after a while. I trick myself. I may even do a soundcheck even quieter, and then turn it up to the safe level, so when I come out (on stage) it’s a little louder for me. It was tough getting used to it.”

For each performance, the responsibility falls to the band’s house engineer to make the band sound good.

“We don’t even have on-stage amplifiers anymore. Everything is all in-ears and direct line. The only things that are live and acoustic on stage are the drums. It’s up to our house engineer to make us sound good, and to make it sound full,” Gustafson said.

With the use of iPads at a microphone stand, each member can mix anything he or she wants to.

The rest of the members are Dennis Drew, keyboards; Jerry Augustyniak, drums; John Lombardo, guitars; Mary Ramsey, viola, and vocals; and Jeff Erickson, lead guitar.

Another reason the band is playing better is because the members are sober on stage.

“We play our shows sober now. That’s a big difference,” Gustafson said. “And we are a lot better (musicians) because of that. We weren’t falling down drunk before we played, but we would have drinks before we played. We (as a band) thought about it, talked about it, and decided we’re better when no one has had any drinks.”

The band will perform at a fundraiser for Tracy Mitrano candidate for New York’s 23rd Congressional District, on Oct. 6 at 7:30 p.m. at Jamestown Community College’s Robert Lee Scharmann Theatre.

“It’s a rally and fundraiser for Tracy Mitrano,” Gustafson said. “The Maniacs wanted to help out and raise some money for her campaign and raise an awareness for her.”

He said because of strict election laws, the tickets have to be sold online through a website. “For the maniacs to hold a concert, and give the money to her, it wouldn’t be proper. So because of that all the tickets have to be purchased at a website that counts money for anyone that has a campaign to comply with federal election laws,” Gustafson added.

TO PURCHASE A TICKET

¯ Go online to the event website, https://secure.actblue.com/donate/oct610kmaniacs, and purchase a ticket. This guarantees you a seat at the concert.

¯ If you would like to choose your specific seat in advance, please bring your ticket to the Jamestown Community College bookstore at 525 Falconer St., Jamestown, N.Y. Otherwise, you will receive your assigned seat at the door on the night of the concert.

Tickets are $23 each. VIP tickets are $50 each, gives holders the chance to have a photo opportunity with Mitrano and the Maniacs before the concert.