The next AK Fest ?

[grumpy]

Call me Farking nuts but I already started thinking about 2006.

Want it to be bigger/smaller, 1,2,3 days, More vendors ? Where its held. Hell let us know what your thinking bout these or anything else related to the fest and or how to make it better.

[EchoWars]

I really liked all the separate rooms...I had misgivings about it, but it turned out damn cool.

Might be a tough one to replicate I know...

Southfield is cool with me, unless ya'all want to come to Kansas City. :)

[Mark B]

Where its held.

Portland Oregon in the Springtime . . . you'll really like it here! :D

[CarlV]

Portland Oregon in the Springtime . . . you'll really like it here! :D
Yeah grumpy! :lmao:

Carl

[Reel 2 Reel]

A repeat of this year would be nice...even if we have to pay a little more for the rooms.....if a 'volume discount' can be gotten

[WhiteSE]

I say somewhere in Southern Ohio/Kentucky/Northern carolina's...somewhere where more people can reach by driving and brings some gear..:-)

[grumpy]

There is NO location that will make all happy !

[WhiteSE]

True. but far north, far east, far south, far west, does limit more in a way...when you want to draw people in,,central locations should help i would think.

[dingus]

isnt Iowa the center of North America?

[luvvinvinyl]

Grumpy won't say this, so I will. If it moves, somebody, or some bodies, better be prepared to eat sleep, and breath AKFest, for several months, until it is a week past the closing. You can't do it 'long-distance'. Grumpy and his crew set the bar HIGH, for whoever does the next one. (Even if it stays here, and the Grumpys, et al, run it again.) An event that successful just doesn't happen by accident.

If I am wrong, Grumpy will be the first to correct me. And I will stand duly chastised.

[grumpy]

And Iowa has what 3 members there ? :)

The Fest Has to be somewhere that has a fairly large concentration of members. Unfortunately that leaves out a whole lot of states.

Grumpy

[dingus]

luvvinvinyl makes a great point. it should be left to the good folks that make it happen to decide where they want to hold it. most folks, like me (if i can make it work - ROAD TRIP!!!), will just show up for the most part.

[Mark B]

Grumpy won't say this, so I will. If it moves, somebody, or some bodies, better be prepared to eat sleep, and breath AKFest, for several months, until it is a week past the closing. You can't do it 'long-distance'. Grumpy and his crew set the bar HIGH, for whoever does the next one. (Even if it stays here, and the Grumpys, et al, run it again.) An event that successful just doesn't happen by accident.

If I am wrong, Grumpy will be the first to correct me. And I will stand duly chastised.

Hmmmmm . . .

how does the beautiful city of Detroit sound to everyone? :thmbsp:

[styler]

MEMPHIS

1. good airport with lots of direct flights
2. Central USA
3. Good food
4. Good music scene
5. Graceland!
6. Sun Records!
7. Beale St = Blues
8. Some of the best BBQ in the world


Cleveland - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and all
Austin, TX - Killer live music scence

[dgwojo]

Craig's truck (NOSValves) and 3 of his tube amps, six of my Altec A7's and a ballroom, that's all I ask!! :scratch2:

[RichPA]

Can't comment on where to hold it (though I agree, Iowa is the center of the uinverse, I think - at least, I thought it was when I grew up there :)) - but my wife says we're there next year, even if it is on her birthday again. She took one look at the group pic and said I'd fit right in (you guys decide who's been insulted there!).

[luvvinvinyl]

tyler, memphis is a GREAT city! As an AKFest site, do you want a place that lures you away from the fest, competes with it, as it were? Or do you want to spend most of the time in the Fest? Most cities can come up with a place for drinks and live music, a la 'Memphis Smoke'. (Little bit of irony, there)

As well, you would need about a dozen tireless maniacs, who have would be willing to give up their other life, for about 6 months. Our own Grumpmeister counts for 4 or 5, on his own. Does the Memphis AK contingent have that kind of resource? I'm not being sarcastic, I don't know the answer to that question. I have been involved in events of the scope of the Fest, and larger, and it has always been a MUCH bigger project than anybody, even the staff anticipated.

That said, if there is a group of dedicated, fearless adventurers, who want to take on the next AK Fest, I am sure that Grumpy would love to be able to attend one. Remember the event coordinator never gets to enjoy the event.

[Fisherdude]

Luvvinvinyl hit the key point...

If it's not close enough for Grumpy to strangle the shit out of the hotel people, we'll need somebody local to be the contact for months prior to the event. This is not something that can be handled in a few hours for a few days ahead of time. It's a boatload of work. Although there are several states that are a few hours closer to the center of the US than Michigan, I'm not sure it's really going to make a significant difference in who can attend. It'll be easier for some, a deal-breaker for others. The same can be said about just about anywhere. We can do Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, Memphis, or Dallas, it won't make any difference to the west-coast members.

As far as the layout goes, I thought this year was terrific. The individual small rooms allowed better listening, and a better chance to talk to folks than last year. Plus, it means more opportunities for members and vendors to have a room than if we were using the small meeting rooms like last year. And, having the rooms on the top floor with our sleeping rooms below meant that we were able to insulate the rest of the hotel from the music. It will really be tough to come up with a better plan.

While the hotel isn't quite the Hyatt Regency, if we were paying $175 a night, it would eliminate an awful lot of potential attendees. I think it's really the best balance we could get. It sounds like I'm pitching for the same place next year...

If we have it in driving distance for me, I'm putting in the first request for a room! I'll bring an assortment of Fisher tube gear and some speakers.

Just any dates except the first weekend in April!

[styler]

i know, i know... Detroit was a bitch for me, drove 2200mi RT! i was trying to think of a place that was easy to get to, cheap to fly to, and also had good nightlife. i think a 3 days fest with one day dedicated to something off the beaten path might be cool too, thats how i came up with Memphis. i'd be happy to coordinate the Fest in Little Rock, but who the hell wants to come to Arkansas! seems like we have a strong TX contingent and flying in and out of Dallas or Houston is usually not too expensive. there are many places where i bet we could get the whole hotel, like a Route 66 Motel... maybe we should think about rotating areas, west coast, midwest, south, east coast, and Canada. do a little long range planning which would allow for more members to come, different vendors, etc. on the other hand, Grump and family did a great job! and having someone experienced with the set up and site makes a huge difference. just tossing out thoughts.
tyler

[Reel 2 Reel]

The other option is to have simultainous fests (within reason)...by members in their respected areas....like 'AK Fest North'...'AK Fest central'...'AK Fest south' ...'South central'...ect...if anyone wants to put one together.....the help will be there, for the asking, to acomplish a feat!....there are enough members ...... :thmbsp:

[VinylHanger]

There is NO location that will make all happy !

Playboy Mansion?

[grumpy]

We have always pushed for others in different parts to do their own fest.

I would happy to do it here again but if its not all I can say is I wont do anything more then attend or shoot the shit.

Fixing problems from miles away is not a specialty of mine.

With that said this thread has been rather single minded. Anyone have some ideas on anything other then location ?

Grumpy

[tentoze]

We have always pushed for others in different parts to do their own fest.

I would happy to do it here again but if its not all I can say is I wont do anything more then attend or shoot the shit.

Fixing problems from miles away is not a specialty of mine.

With that said this thread has been rather single minded. Anyone have some ideas on anything other then location ?

Grumpy

Ummm...nekkid wimmen would be good.......

[DingusBoy]

The What is more important than the Where.

By defining what we want from a fest the where may become more evident.

Size, type of rooms, events, type of gear, potential DIY how to workshops, all help define what kind of happening we want.

Personally, I'd love to see some planned and time specific workshops as part of the next FEST. For example: How to mount a cartridge, clean a record, design a power supply, solder, surround a driver, etc. This is a hands on hobby that meets people at varying levels of knowledge. A weekend that sounds great and teaches us something would be really cool.

The other thing that would be cool is if it could coincide with a record show. Not necessarily something run by AK but handled in concert with the FEST. Smart vendors could do a lot worse than to leave that weekend available.

I liked alot of things about having a floor of a hotel for the festivities but it also presented challenges regarding room size, bounce and even voltage!

AK (the forum) has grown expontentially and I expect that to continue. I believe that should be taken into consideration when considering how to do this. I can't imagine smaller even being possible.

I KNOW I want to see non-vendor rooms again at the next one. Not at the exclusion of vendors of course but in conjunction with the vendors. The "love" exhibited by any number of the rooms at this fest was cool and gives it that AK friendship atmosphere.

That's all for now,

[grumpy]

Ummm...nekkid wimmen would be good.......

Hey the fest was only 3-5 minutes from 8 Mile road. :banana:

[tentoze]

Hey the fest was only 3-5 minutes from 8 Mile road. :banana:

And you didn't TELL me this??????

[styler]

1. pairing it up with a good live show somewhere
2. visit to recording studio and introduction to mastering
3. LP manufacturer tour
4. costume party, come as your favorite artist/band
5. one day longer
6. spa day for the ladies
7. pot luck
8. beer bong contest, belly flops, pie throwing, and wet t shirt contest (non members, pros only)


-really liked the separate room thing, thought that worked really well
-really liked the raffles/door prizes :D
-dont see any need to change the way it was set up and ran

[Army]

isnt Iowa the center of North America?


Yes it is, at least it's the center of my universe :D

I've offered to take AKfest 2007 I've already got a bunch of hotel info etc... And Cedar Rapids is a great place to visit in the spring. Plenty to see and do.

But like Grumpy said there aren't very many Iowan's that are AK'ers and it would have to be something that everyone wants.

Personally I like where and how we had it this year. Get's me the hell outta the house :D

But EW and I will work out a different drive schedule for the trip home :yes:

And again whoever does the fest in 2006 I'll be there to lend a hand. Or I could do speaker refoaming 101 maybe.

How about a lounge with a booze license this time :beer: so nobody has to drive after a couple :cool:

My 2 cents
Army

[tentoze]

How about a lounge with a booze license this time :beer: so nobody has to drive after a couple :cool:

My 2 cents
Army

People were drinking???

[EchoWars]

People were drinking???
Lawdy lawdy!! What's the world coming to?

[tentoze]

Lawdy lawdy!! What's the world coming to?

I swear I thought I heard some stuff after I went to bed around 8 PM Saturday night, but I figured those young folks needed to have their fun..........

[BrianB]

Call me Farking nuts but I already started thinking about 2006.

Want it to be bigger/smaller, 1,2,3 days, More vendors ? Where its held. Hell let us know what your thinking bout these or anything else related to the fest and or how to make it better.

Hi Dave,

As good as AK-Fest 2004 was, AK-Fest 2005 was WAY better! Despite the fact that the "listening rooms" were almost perfect squares, they were superior in some ways to the bigger rooms we used last year. And I LOVED the amazing variety of gear being shown off this time around.

As you know, I'm moving to East Lansing, Michigan, in another few weeks, and will be less than an hour away from you by the time AK-Fest 2006 rolls around. And I'd be more than happy to help out with the organization next year ... although I wouldn't want to become the "head honcho", as this would preclude me from showing off any of my own wares as a vendor.

Two days seemed like a good length to me, and I most certainly would not go back to a one-day event. More vendors? Why not! Same hotel? Well, we all had some complaints, but the rates would be hard to beat.

So, I guess I'm voting for a repeat next year in the same location, and I think that going bigger would be better than going smaller...

Cheers,
Brian

[BrianB]

Grumpy won't say this, so I will. If it moves, somebody, or some bodies, better be prepared to eat sleep, and breath AKFest, for several months, until it is a week past the closing. You can't do it 'long-distance'. Grumpy and his crew set the bar HIGH, for whoever does the next one. (Even if it stays here, and the Grumpys, et al, run it again.) An event that successful just doesn't happen by accident.

Truer words have never been spoken. Grumpy invested a HELL of a lot of time on this event, and he gambled a fair amount of his own money on its success to boot! And don't forget that his ENTIRE FAMILY was pitching in big-time on this effort...

[cabinover]

All I can say, being the first AKFest I've attended, is this is a labor of love to do an event like this. I'm sure I didn't see half of the little issues that Grump and his family dealt with (and everyone else that assisted in the endeavor), but I can say that although they were pretty well beat by Saturday night, the only sign was Grumpy's eyes kept trying to close on him :thmbsp:
You guys really know how to plan a grade A fest :yes:

As far as another location, it doesn't matter to me but be forewarned, this is not for the faint of heart or the procrastinator (that would be me).
I don't have a problem with Southfield again, an easy flight from Albany and I'll damn sure pre-rent a car this time, no SURPRISES!!!
And I'll be there a day early to help you guys setup again.

Adding a third day would allow more members to at least attend one day. This would also allow me to plan my questions to Craig and EW for day one, leaving days 2&3 to figure out the answers that they'd given me. And more time to meet members also. I know as I look through the "Family Shots", most of these people I did meet at least but didn't get to know them well.

The hotel had it's issues, yes. But then again for $60+/- a night, I don't think it was that bad. I'd rather spend my money on albums from Elusive Disc and adult beverages so's I could sneak into Grumpy's room with TT and Ray, or NOSValves room, or ..........

That is all. Bob

[luvvinvinyl]

Grump, no one has ever accused you of being shy, but you are not one to blow your own horn either. Since there was SO MUCH more that was right at this year's fest, that the minor quibbles that a few had, I think it is agreed that your decisions have been vindicated. Every choice is a compromise. You mad a LOT of good ones. MY hat is off, to you, sir. Now, if the Hyatt or Westin offers a couple of floors for $58/nt, you might want to rethink. Then again, it is 30 mins from your house.

Tyler, you mentioned Canada, as a possible site. Great, except schlepping gear back and forth across the border is a PITA for the non-vendor. You DON'T want to find out about what a vendor goes through. Then there are distribution rights issues, sales tax registrations (provincial and federal), the list goes on and on. Great idea, for local get-togethers, but distance issues preclude a massed gathering, krimney's impressive red-eye flights notwithstanding.

As for content, I would like to see instructional demo's, as mentioned, like cart/tonearm set-up. I would also like to be there both days. If it is a 3-day event, WOO-HOO, LONG WEEKEND!!!

[Kegger]

I'll steal part "As for content, I would like to see instructional demo's, as mentioned,
like cart/tonearm set-up. I would also like to be there both days. If it is a 3-day event,
WOO-HOO, LONG WEEKEND!!!____________more stuff to buy________________

Loved the idea of the individual rooms even with the issues, made more of an
atmisphere in all the rooms and made them quite different from one another.

If it's held in mich again I would love to setup my own room, more akers setups would
be cool!

If it's close enough I'll help out.

Thought the size of the event was very nice, could of even had a few more rooms full!
More vendors to buy things from would be great.
Would of loved to see gear besides the swap for sale.
So many guys build equipment would be cool to see amps/preamps/speakers/phono
stages for sale.
If the price was right on home built or rebuilt gear I probably would a bought something.

The event was one of the best if not the best I've ever been to and I've been to quite
a few. Listening to more gear and meeting more people would improve it! SMILY!

[JonTee]

Loved the idea of the individual rooms even with the issues, made more of an
atmisphere in all the rooms and made them quite different from one another.

If it's held in mich again I would love to setup my own room, more akers setups would
be cool!

If it's close enough I'll help out.

Kegger, this was a concept that was interesting to me, however, due to medical problems was not able to get involved or attend. Andyman, and botrytis did a great service to the members by introducing their systems to other members for auditioning. Often, we are not able to hear these combinations other than in a venue like this.

Perhaps we could expand on this in the next fest, and involve more members systems. I also would like to help, and participate. Got truck....will haul... :yes:

Jon

[botrytis]

Kegger, this was a concept that was interesting to me, however, due to medical problems was not able to get involved or attend. Andyman, and botrytis did a great service to the members by introducing their systems to other members for auditioning. Often, we are not able to hear these combinations other than in a venue like this.

Perhaps we could expand on this in the next fest, and involve more members systems. I also would like to help, and participate. Got truck....will haul... :yes:

Jon

WE MISSED YA AT THE FEST, MAN!!! I hope you are doing better - we need to get together soon as there is another member from Lansing now and with BrianB going to be so close. Well, my mind runneth over with ideas!!!

Dave

[WhiteSE]

We may have to send them all on a vacation to Bahamas or somethin'....Or Windsor, Canada... :yes:


Truer words have never been spoken. Grumpy invested a HELL of a lot of time on this event, and he gambled a fair amount of his own money on its success to boot! And don't forget that his ENTIRE FAMILY was pitching in big-time on this effort...

[WhiteSE]

I guess Michigan State U. dorms will be audiophile now...;-)

[jimbecky48001]

Location does not matter to me.I liked Dingus ideas on the workshops.This of course would require someone to organize the events and would add more work to the event.It might be possible to pick the location and set up an informal committee with a leader who hands out assignments to members who would like to volunteer time.The leader would orchestrate the tasks thru the worker bees to distribute the workload evenly ,thus not putting the whole burden on one guy.

[dgwojo]

Kegger, this was a concept that was interesting to me, however, due to medical problems was not able to get involved or attend. Jon
Jon,
You missed an excellent show, but, if you're like me and allergic to smoking, you probably did the right thing staying home and getting your health back. It was quite a "smoking fest", luckily most gear probably came home without smelling like a sports bar!! My wife really enjoyed the fest but couldn't breathe right for 5 days after the fest, I know everyone likes to do their own thing in their rooms but I'd prefer that people smoked in designated areas, that air was really thick during Saturday afternoon!! Just my thoughts as unpoplular as they are, I don't want to offend anyone, I just care about their health, I've seen multiple people go down with lung cancer and it's not pleasant, it tears just rips you apart, well, enough said, Grumpy and everyone else involved really did set the bar high, it will be hard to beat, Dave.
:yes:

[jimbecky48001]

Sorry dg as one of the offenders, I would be willing to go to a designated area to feed my habit. Jim

[dgwojo]

Sorry dg as one of the offenders, I would be willing to go to a designated area to feed my habit. Jim
No problem Jim, it sure was nice to finally meet you in person, I didn't find out until later that you brought those tasty deserts we all enjoyed, thank you!! Dave. :no: :smoke:

[jimbecky48001]

thanks Dave but Becky was the one that baked all day for those goody's, I will pass on the thanks.

[botrytis]

thanks Dave but Becky was the one that baked all day for those goody's, I will pass on the thanks.

I agree - Kudos for the BAKING!!!

Dave

[jimbecky48001]

I think she hit the baking wall that day, she has not baked me a cookie since. LOL

[grumpy]

Jim

Dang it ! I forgot to thank Becky and Steph for helping with the goodies. Tell her they were yummy even though i only got a couple. Who's bringing the milk next time :yes:

[jimbecky48001]

Funny I actually thought about bringing 5 gallons of milk, but did not know how things were going to be set up and all i could picture was someone spilling milk on a $3000 amp and then looking for the milk supplier. LOL

[SPL db]

I really liked all the separate rooms...I had misgivings about it, but it turned out damn cool.

Might be a tough one to replicate I know...

Southfield is cool with me, unless ya'all want to come to Kansas City. :)

Another vote for KC! :D

Unless you wan to come to Nebraska! :D

Scott

[SPL db]

And Iowa has what 3 members there ? :)

The Fest Has to be somewhere that has a fairly large concentration of members. Unfortunately that leaves out a whole lot of states.


Well, ya may only have three members in Iowa, but ya got a few
in Nebraska and Colorado and Kansas City that could very easily
make to Iowa, or Nebraska, or Colorado, or Kansas City! :D

Scott

[Andyman]

I agree - Kudos for the BAKING!!!

Dave

I agree! And a special thank you to whoever made the brownies.

All I can say is YUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!! :banana: :yes: :banana:

[Kegger]

Johtee

"Kegger, this was a concept that was interesting to me, however, due to medical problems was not able to get involved or attend. Andyman, and botrytis did a great service to the members by introducing their systems to other members for auditioning. Often, we are not able to hear these combinations other than in a venue like this.

Perhaps we could expand on this in the next fest, and involve more members systems. I also would like to help, and participate. Got truck....will haul... "

I know that was so cool seeing other "real" people and how they have there systems
setup. I think you learn or see a lot of ways to do it by the induviduals who use the
stuff in there homes. Plus it's just great to put some gear with the people who really
appreciate what they have. Yes individual smallish rooms with more akers gear would
be awsome, I know I want to setup.

Mixing vendors and actual home setups was a great contrast. More of it please!

[Kegger]

Swapping some gear at the fest between akers who broght there systems would
give you a huge range to demo that you could never do anywhere else.

Maybe a list for people to put gear on it that's available for demo in your own room
on your own system would be cool.

Trying out a different phono stage you've never been able to demo or preamp that
you'd like to hear or maybe some vrd mono blocks with your gear, how awsome would
that be to do.

I know if it's in michigan I can bring some demo gear. An st-70 rebuilt with the
tubes4hifi board,some small monitor speakers,Ear834p phono stage,rogue 88 amp,
inexpensive Dared remote tube preamp, things like these from other akers to try
on your own rig could be a great way to find if something works for you!

Could you imagine if everyone that sets up or even others brought like 5 demo pieces
to the show for people to try out. Have a board for people to sign up on and then after
the show without flamming someones equipment you need to place a writeup on the
piece you tried out on the AK board would get a lot of gear talked about!

Man that could be a lot of different gear to try!

[Andyman]

Kegger, this was a concept that was interesting to me, however, due to medical problems was not able to get involved or attend. Andyman, and botrytis did a great service to the members by introducing their systems to other members for auditioning. Often, we are not able to hear these combinations other than in a venue like this.

Perhaps we could expand on this in the next fest, and involve more members systems. I also would like to help, and participate. Got truck....will haul... :yes:

Jon

Thanks for the kudos, Jon, but we were far from alone!

Unless I'm wrong, and let's see if I can do this right, JimBecky wsg RetroStereo, Reel2Reel, Kam, Grumpy and Reyneman all had setups wth their home rigs. And the member/vendors NOSValves, PunkerX, Styler, and Dingus/Tubino all had some of their personal gear there for a listen.

And a special tip of the hat to BrianB and NOSValves for allowing their gear to be swapped about and tested. It seemed to me that most of the gear swapping was going on down in Grumpy and Rays' room, but Craig did have at least 4 different sets of speakers (big uns, too!!) hooked up in his main room.

BTW, those Stacked Advents I brought weren't my regular rig, although they are now in duty in my garage. I've always read about them and have several pair, so figger, WTF, let's set them up and see what folks think. While they were far from the cutting edge there, they sure seemed to be the a nostalgic favorite and maybe the vintage bargain king. Many commented on how they had a pair, and I remember one member even commented that he ran a stack way back when.

BTW, sorry you couldn't make it; we missed you. But if I know this gang, they'll be other local get-togethers. :yes:

[styler]

most of the ideas are great, KC is not a bad choice too. i think if we were to have clinic/demos we would need an extra day. as all that brought stuff can attest, getting it in the rooms and set up takes far longer than one anticipates. then just getting to hear every system can be difficult, and will become more difficult assuming AK continues growing. then there's the fatigue factor, did anyone leave well rested?

who are the KC members? anyone own, manage, or work in a hotel? :D

[jimbecky48001]

I would have stayed for 3 days easy.There was so much that i missed in the 2 days

[BrianB]

Here's one good reason to hold the event in Michigan again: Gilbert Yeung of Blue Circle would almost certainly be back (it's an easy drive from Innerkip, Ontario), and he would like to bring some of his more "exotic" designs next time around... :yes: :banana: :yes:

[Fishstink]

"Don't fix it, if it ain't broke!".

[WhiteSE]

"Don't fix it, if it ain't broke!".

Yeah, but we are a bunch of tinkerers' arent we? :D

I Think if it stays in Michigan, that is fine with me....I love Michigan (best run state in the USA)

[Andyman]

....I love Michigan (best run state in the USA)

Hmmmmmmmmm........

Next time you're in town Grumpy and I will have to take you on a ride downtown. :yes:

That may change your tune.

[WhiteSE]

Well, I dont consider Detroit part of Michigan...that is just a badly run canadian town....LOL...

I know about downtown,,,,;-)

[styler]

what about Ann Arbor, farther from airport but everything in town is walking distance with good food and lots of coeds! :D

[dgwojo]

what about Ann Arbor, farther from airport but everything in town is walking distance with good food and lots of coeds! :D
Sounds great, less than 15 minutes away!!

[grumpy]

Ann Arbor = $$$$$

[luvvinvinyl]

Well, I dont consider Detroit part of Michigan...that is just a badly run canadian town....LOL...

I know about downtown,,,,;-)

HEY, HEY, HEY! You can't stick us with that, we have enough of our own sh... uh, problems. Besides, the rest of Ontario would just as soon see Windsor and Essex County be part of Michigan, anyway. Windsor-Detroit, orphan twins, I guess. That's OK, I'd be good with that.

[styler]

i saw a few cheap hotels there, like Holiday Inn (60.00 a night), good food! less bullets and cops :D may be able to use a Univ Theater (univ have to provide facilities to the whole state and populace for free if available) for some BIG SPEAKERS. maybe even get a live performance from the UofM Jazz Band...
Tyler

anyone have UofM affiliations

[outlawmws]

I noticed many assume a hotel is the only place the fest could be held. Has any one considered a hall, school, or city parks public rooms? Our city has a couple of parks with public rooms/halls and the cost is very reasonable. Not far from hotels either, with bus service between.

I know Its not realistic to bring it out west, but i'd guess other city's/townships have similar facilities available.

I just hope to be able to make it next year! I sure wanted to this year. Sounds like a great event!

[luvvinvinyl]

How far do you want to be from multi-K$ worth of your gear?

[Andyman]

[QUOTE=WhiteSE]Well, I dont consider Detroit part of Michigan...that is just a badly run canadian town....LOL...[QUOTE]

Luvinvinyl is right. Drive across the bridge sometime from Windsor to Detroit; you'll think you've landed on another planet. Nice houses, stores, clean streets, etc in Windsor, total urban shithole in Detroit. Well maybe not if you like burnt out buildings, garbage in the streets, and stores with 2" of Lexan and spray painted signs on CDX plywood :thumbsdn:

[luvvinvinyl]

gotta be something to what Andyman says (Thanks, BTW) as every Friday-Sunday night, our 30,00 seats in the downtown bars are taken over by Michigan youth who come over to drink legally, here. 19 is legal here, 21 in MI.

Fun to watch, the first time they get their hands on Canadian brew!

[WhiteSE]

[QUOTE=WhiteSE]Well, I dont consider Detroit part of Michigan...that is just a badly run canadian town....LOL...[QUOTE]

Luvinvinyl is right. Drive across the bridge sometime from Windsor to Detroit; you'll think you've landed on another planet. Nice houses, stores, clean streets, etc in Windsor, total urban shithole in Detroit. Well maybe not if you like burnt out buildings, garbage in the streets, and stores with 2" of Lexan and spray painted signs on CDX plywood :thumbsdn:

I miss that... :yes:

[TWantiques]

Michigan is a long way away. How about somewhere a little more central. Like maybe Columbus or Dayton, Ohio, Indianapolis, In or Louisville, Ky.

Or maybe North Atlanta :lmao:

Terry

[Kegger]

I'm sure if someone wants to host one they can host it anywhere they want!
Just get a team together and do it.

If grumpy will do another michigan one then I'm sure he will and some of us locals
can help him out on that. I'd sure be up for that as for the success showed so far!

Right now is the time for suggestions on how to do the event.
What was liked, what to expand on, what might be new and cool!
What to keep the same!

If someone wants get a team together with enough local investors so to speak
to start a show then submit your team and start the planning.

I wouldn't think grumpy or anyone else would be apposed to having more than 1
if there different people hosting them. Anyone that gets hosted just needs a good
local contingent and be run from the state that is hosting it, as others have said
no long distance billing/setup.

So if you want to suggest a new location then get people to back you and help with
the planning. Anyone who wants to plan one could pick just about anywhere they
want to hold it with enough of a local contingent then it's upto them where it be.

I don't think location, as others have said is what the suggestions are about at this time.

[Andyman]

The thing that is tough to beat about Michigan is that there are so many AKer's within 200 miles of here. Even under 100 miles, there's prolly well over 20-30. All the guys, aside from Tim and Ray, who set up rooms fall into that group.

I'm not sure any area anywhere else that can boast so many members so close together, especially guys as active as Grumpy, Dingus, Punker, Botrytis, Gary, etc, etc. That, I think, is why these last two events have worked so well.

[luvvinvinyl]

That's correct, Andyman. 'Critical mass' is the phrase which describes the situation. It is one thing to have the team of organizers, but you also need the exhibitors. How far are you willing to travel?

[Squidward]

I live in Ann Arbor, and I work for the U of M. If anyone needs help with logistics in this town, let me know and I'll help with the leg work.

This year was my first AK Fest. I will be going again next year. If it stays within 100 miles of my home, I think I'll be renting a room and bringing some gear!

Thanks everyone, it was a great time!

[piece-it pete]

I'm on board with Detroit again, sure! Or where-ever.

As long as Grumpy & Co does all the work and the vendors give away their stuff :D .

I really like -

3 days

Using the rooms again (might even bring a system if I can swing the room - that was a GREAT thing, what variety)

Open bar, on Kam. :beerchug: Well, at least A bar, if we could swing it, insurance the issue? You'all know how important it is to imbibe when playing lps.

The workshops, TT setup, etc.


Since I had to leave this thread for a moment I'm sure I forgot something. And d, I'd be willing to use an assigned area for smoking too. Heck if it means I'm at another 'fest I'd look forward to it!

Pete

[shelby1420]

Personally i thought everything about 2005 fest was perfect, location was awesome but more importantly the rooms showed off everybodys stuff with no distactions and gave everyone and there gear a real comfortable feel!!!! the length of time was perfect( even though i coulda stayed for weeks to listen to all that gear!!!!) bottom line for me was if it aint broke...... but if there is anything i can do to help with 2006, you have my number Grumpy!!!!

[styler]

The thing that is tough to beat about Michigan is that there are so many AKer's within 200 miles of here. Even under 100 miles, there's prolly well over 20-30. All the guys, aside from Tim and Ray, who set up rooms fall into that group.

I'm not sure any area anywhere else that can boast so many members so close together, especially guys as active as Grumpy, Dingus, Punker, Botrytis, Gary, etc, etc. That, I think, is why these last two events have worked so well.

several traveled far, EW, Toze, me, and more. I really like Ann Arbor, its a little more sedate and easier to navigate than DET. there's gotta be a decent cheap hotel there too. i'll help wherever it is and plan to set up my own room too. Grumpy, if it is in Det again, delegate some tasks, I'd happily help.
Tyler

[grumpy]

Believe me when i say Ann Arbor is way out of our budget. If we were spend that kind of cash then it would have been held in Troy or there abouts.

[WhiteSE]

Well, if we say U of M land, why not East Lansing or Lansing....or Flint..;-)

Hotels will be cheaper, they have airports, and easy to drive around..

[krimney]

Personally It doesn't matter much to me where it is, it's more important "what" it is. As I doubt it will ever be held in Calgary, it's a trip for me no matter where it is. With enough notice, most flights are gonna be pretty mcuh the same wether I fly to east coast or west. I would love to be able to drive to Seattle,vancouver or even North Dakota for a fest but the masses don't live in these parts. The fest could alternate east/west coast from year to year but then you'd end up with two different groups. I'm all for a buch of smaller gatherings.

I liked the separate room idea, and would like to see that again. IF there was also a ball room made available for some of the "big rigs" to sound off that would be great too. Stacked tannoys would be nice to hear :D

I also like the idea of having some scheduled activities such at 10:00am- turntable set up, 2:00pm voice coil repair, 5:00pm wine tasting :naughty:

A two day event is good, perhaps a 3 day event would be better as it may be worth while for more vendors to bring stuff, especially for the swap meet.

I'm already looking at some of my gear to see what can be sold to start rasing funds for next years trip.

[dgwojo]

Is Weber's expensive??? Now I have a taste for their Prime RIB!!
http://www.webersinn.com/hotel/index.asp
Piss on the Fest, you'll find me in the Sauna;
http://www.webersinn.com/i/full/sauna.jpg
The pool looks TITilating too;
http://www.webersinn.com/i/full/pool_5.jpg
:yes:

[Army]

Couple O' thoughts...

Hold it in the same place till Grump gets sick and tired of it :scratch2:
( Thanks again Dave it was Great)

Then maybe vote a site if it needs to be moved, which personally, Detroit is fine by me. Better turn out with critical mass etc... :thmbsp:

Maybe have AKers setups in the rooms like this year, closed to the public.

Put the venders in larger banquet rooms on the main floor, and open them to the public. Advertise with the local radio stations etc... By doing this maybe we could pull more vendors and make it bigger and better. It could make for some even bigger vendor turn out, more like an audio show :scratch2:

Charge an admission fee of say $5 and gererate a little cashola for AK and have fun in the process.

Just a thought or two.
Army

[styler]

one could also argue that changing the venue gets more AKers involved. 7000 members with the fact that Detroit may actually turn some people off (other than die hards). granted there's a strong core of north central USA/southern canada, but what about making it easier for west coast or southern members? i think keeping it in Detroit will keep the same great crowd coming. on the other hand changing the venue/region may get a whole 'nother great AK contingent involved. just some thoughts.

[botrytis]

Who says we can't have AK East and AK West fests? Nobody did - what about that?

[luvvinvinyl]

Granted, tyler, you make a good point. To counter, we go back to the infrastructure question. If you can find a place with the means to host the Fest, I don't think Grumpy would mind the trip. I know that I wouldn't mind seeing a new place and meeting new people.

No disrespect, my friend, but you weren't here, last year, when this question was beaten to death, and there was no one, save Grumpy and his crew, who would take on the job.

[Army]

Next AK fest in THOR's bar room :banana:

Don't belieive me check out his CV speaker thread :cool:

[luvvinvinyl]

Army, YOU check out that thread. I do believe we cross-posted!

[luvvinvinyl]

:banana:

Don't belieive me check out his CV speaker thread :cool:
You really CYA on that whole "i before e" rule, don't ya!

[Army]

You really CYA on that whole "i before e" rule, don't ya!


Ah yeah :D

That or I'm just frigg'in blind or a lousy typist or all three :D

[Fishstink]

Could be done. Perhaps East, Midwest and West. Grump continues as is and two other members step up in their regions and organize a AK fest in their region. Maybe one in Fla. or CA. in the winter so families could mix a vacation with a fest. Some members might be able to attend two of them sometimes, like East and Midwest. This would all depend on membership numbers in the region. Realisticly one AK fest cannot serve an organization that covers the whole US. and Canada. Think about it.

[styler]

well, unless people step up to the plate to fund separate fests then AK Admin may not be able to provide what they did. i can tell you that AK was very generous to us in Detroit, and i doubt that funds could cover two events without much better financial support from members. AK Fest made clear to me that our funds are used wisely and for good causes, but then we need to improve donations. more donations equals more events, raffles, etc. it may be more feasible to have some long range planning and pick the next 3 or 4 years in advance and try to move the show to different regions of the country, or have smaller member organized events that are not directly financially supported by admin. youre talking catering, prizes, raffles, room deposits, advertising, and more - doubling that would take some fund raising. i think its a great idea to have additional events. maybe we can have regional admins to do these events and people can then donate directly to those events. i would happily organize an event in Little Rock or Memphis, big or small.

[Fishstink]

I was thinking of satisfying more members without considering the economics.

[styler]

Granted, tyler, you make a good point. To counter, we go back to the infrastructure question. If you can find a place with the means to host the Fest, I don't think Grumpy would mind the trip. I know that I wouldn't mind seeing a new place and meeting new people.

No disrespect, my friend, but you weren't here, last year, when this question was beaten to death, and there was no one, save Grumpy and his crew, who would take on the job.

you are absolutely correct Ernie. Grumpy and crew deserves the "I Endured the Mother of all Hassles" award, no doubt about it. :thmbsp:

why dont you organize the AK Trans USA-CAN International Audio Fest! lol, would be kinda fun to come to Windsor.... :scratch2:

[luvvinvinyl]

Grumpy already did that one, it was held in Southfield, in the true spirit of international relations!

Seriously, it is a major pain for vendors to cart stuff across the border, on temporary export/re-import permits (E15B or E29B paperwork). And God help you if you have some work done by, say, Echo, Punker, or NOSValves!

I don't have access to the membership logs, but I would imagine that the Greater Toronto Area would function as Detroit does, for the majority of the Canadian membership. We do have some youngsters out west, and krimney, too. There are some 'Down-Easters' among our favourites, as well, but Windsor-to-Ottawa would cover most of us, in the Great White North. Scheduling and numbers would dictate that household gatherings are more likely, in the 5-10 range, rather than a Fest. An ambitious project would, I think, number 20-30. You wouldn't get many, if any, vendors on those numbers. I stand open to correction, if 40 or 50 fellow countrymen post to the contrary.

[Ms Grumpy]

Call me Farking nuts but I already started thinking about 2006.

Want it to be bigger/smaller, 1,2,3 days, More vendors ? Where its held. Hell let us know what your thinking bout these or anything else related to the fest and or how to make it better.


OK Guys..this thread has got many people dreaming of where to have AKfest2006.. But what I think Grumpy was trying to ask is what can we do to IMPROVE the fest. I know that many people would like to have the fest in the area that they live. But unfortunately, we can't make everyone happy. We damn near kill ourselves trying, but it just ain't gonna happen.

So for everyone who was there, or even if you weren't at AKfest, let us know what you would like to see, or do, or any idea to make the next fest more interesting, fun, sucessful, or all of the above.

And for everyone who would like to have the next AKfest in your area. Please realize that this is a full time job! I am fortunate enough to work in the food industry and have a few connections. I was also able to utilize my 3 teenagers to help in the shopping, storage (my daughters home) and preparation of food because there is no way that any event like this can be catered on the budjet we had (believe me if we could have had it catered I would have been very well rested for the fest). I may have bitched about all the work, but let me tell you when it was all over and done with....It was all worth it when we heard what a great time everyone had. That was so rewarding to both Grumpy and I.

Now let's have some great ideas...and no Kam...no tricycle races.....

Ms Grumpy

[luvvinvinyl]

WHAT!!! Kam wants Tricycle races, TOO??? ALLRIGHT!

I really like the idea of a workshop, for tonearm/cart setup, surround technique with the test tone vs. battery vs. shim, change a tonearm? Some lucky AKer that wants his changed, but doesn't know how to do it, could get the benefit of expert assistance - raffle idea? Maybe other tech work that comes up, often? Caps? Woodworking seems to be a recurring theme, lately. Veneering/finishing demo? Merrylander's technique for metal cabs?

OTT, more of the same. Swap room was great, demo systems by members and dealers. Great spirit there, with gear being swapped around. I got to hear different carts/arms in ED, amps with different speakers, same speakers with different amps. Food was great, too. Perfect idea, keeping everybody in the hotel, for lunch. (Thanks, Ms Grumpy) With the success of this year, I can only imagine how big next year's gathering will be. I think that 3 days is a bit of a stretch for some, but if there are more vendors'/members' systems, you might need three days to hear everything. I don't think that you will have difficulty making next year's event bigger. Rather, it seems that 'nothing succeeds like success'. I can envision latecomers not being able to get space, to show their gear.

p.s. I will be there for both (all three?) days next year. And I hereby volunteer for duty, on the day before. Whatever you need, Grumpy.

[Andyman]

Damn, luvinvinyl, You type faster than I do!! :D

Thanks for getting this back on track, Ms. Grumpy!!

What I liked, vis' a vis' AKFest 2004? Prolly everything!!
The rooms really were better, maybe not for the vendors, but there was much more isolation than in the larger, shared rooms last year.
The breaks for food and the Swap Meet were much better than last year when we had them both jammed into one room.
What I prolly REALLY liked was all the member's rooms. By my count there were at least 9 rooms for members gear, excluding Craig's 3 NOSValve rooms. That made for lots of gear and lots of swapping/experimentation, like Ray mixing and matching all sorts of stuff, Craig's Heresey/JBL/Altec/Tannoy trials, Squidward's DIY Dynaco tube amp w/ my 2265B front end, and the duelling Ohm's in Punker's room. That's what really makes this special. I mean where else could one go and see/hear/mix all these various combinations of stuff from all over the audio spectrum! Honestly, I really think we could do quite a few more rooms with all the guys within 100 miles of here.

I was also impressed by the turnout and meeting all the members. Folks came from as far as Vegas, Long Beach and Calgary and I know they weren't disappointed. I bet they prolly were blown away by what they found when they got here!!

What better for next year? Well, 2 days seems fine to me; 3 would be pushing it for lots of folks. I'm local here, but it'd be tough further away. Some workshops would be cool as mentioned. I'm up for doing one on refoaming; it's a skill we all should develop in this hobby and not really as hard as it sounds. I could do one on refinishing/rehabbing cabs too; I guess I'm just sort of an elbow grease kinda guy.

AKFest 2004 rocked, but 2005 blew it away! I know it's been said 1000 times before, but Grumpy, your entire family, Tim and Steph, and Luther; you guys are the absolute best for pulling this off. Pat all yourselves on the back several times more; it's still not enough!

[Ms Grumpy]

Andy

There was 23 total rooms for us and only 3 or 4 of them were not listening rooms.
Gonna be hard ( read expensive ) to top that but I think we can give it a shot. :)

[styler]

AK fest was pretty great! pretty hard to make any drastic improvements. I've been pushing for a less urban setting like Ann Arbor, less traffic, good nightlife etc. I do think 3 days would be better, or at least a pre-fest mixer/party where everyone can meet before we start crowding rooms. also, i think we should plan to take some of the burden off david and family. if the grumpsters are gracious enough to organize this again, we need to raise more capital and ease the stress. i agree that the multiple small rooms is the way to go, worked well. :thmbsp:

[Fisherdude]

I've been enjoying this thread a lot, and posted a few thoughts along the way. I'm one of the many AK'ers who made it to both fests, and I'm totally committed to coming next year. I've already put in my request for a room so I can bring some gear!

I'll try to be somewhat organized (a challenge, I know!) in my thoughts for next year...

Things To Keep The Same:

1. The location. I know, it's a long trip for many, but the truth is that the population center of the US is somewhere in Missouri, and Michigan isn't that far away. There's a heck of a lot more members in Michigan than in Missouri, and no matter where else we go, we'll be getting farther away from more members than we'll be getting closer to.

2. The hotel. As long as you didn't get sent to the 800 number, reservations were very easy. The price can't be beat. There's no way we're getting two floors all to ourselves anywhere else, at least for less than $150 per room. Having the listening/demo floor above the sleeping floor kept the rest of the guests (and the management) happy. They got us a nice big room for lunch and the swap meet.

3. Everybody getting together for lunch. It really makes it feel like a group with some friendliness and some history behind it.

4. Lots of small listening/demo rooms, instead of partitioning the ballroom into sections. If we run into a problem with not enough rooms for listening plus vendors, I really wouldn't want the vendors to end up in the ballroom area. They'd really feel "banished", and that's not right. We'll just need to balance room allocations between members & vendors, because they're really part of this effort.

5. The team!! Kam & Grumpy and all the extended family members who pitched in really give it a close-knit feel.

Things To Add/Change Next Year:

1. A scheduled "Welcome" function, like meetings frequently have a cocktail reception, except ours would be more tailored to the group. Beer & wings on Saturday night from 5:00-6:30! We'd need the big room. I really think it would be great for everybody to get together all at once, with a beer in your hand and your nametag on! End no later than 6:30 so people can head off for dinners, etc. I really think this would add to the feeling that we're really part of a group.

2. Make the announcements and awards that take place during lunch scheduled. For example, lunch from 11:30-1:00, and everyone has to be in the room at 12:30 for important announcements. Lots of folks had finished lunch and were going back upstairs and missed Glenn and Dave getting their plaques. Everyone should get to share in these awards. Plus, more very much deserved recognition for a job well done for the recipients.

3. Perhaps a little more organized opportunity for people to get together in small groups for dinner on Saturday night, especially for the many members who don't really know that many other members well. Maybe two or three sign-up sheets in the check-in area for groups going to different kinds of restaurants, blues clubs, etc. Or an anonymous list for the ballet later in the evening! Some of the local members who know the area well could chaperone/lead each group.

4. Scheduled how-to/diy events throughout the two days. It's really important that members who are interested in a certain topic know what room and what time. It's also not fair to the members doing the demo to expect them to just "hang out" waiting for somebody to ask them to do something. They want to visit all the other rooms, too. We might even make the list of demonstrations final before the week of the fest so members can sign up for what demos they want to attend, and we know how many people will sign up to see each one. We may have to get a big room, like the lunch/swap meet room, just for some of the demos! Some ideas, most of which have already been mentioned:

a. Turntable cartridge mounting/setup.

b. Speaker surround replacement.

(Just those two could be standing room only! Or, maybe once each day to spread out the crowds.)

c. Overview of basic test equipment. Speaker holds up DMM..."This is a digital multi-meter. It is the most basic piece of test equipment that you need. Here are the key functions it needs to have...This is the price range you will find...etc., etc. Types of soldering irons/stations. Perhaps a brief discussion of more advanced equipment, such as scopes, sig/function generators, distortion analyzers, etc. Maybe 30 minutes total.

d. Basic troubleshooting, with a walk-through of the most commonly encountered problems, like fried output transistors, leaky caps, testing tubes & transistors, etc.

e. Something that actually shows soldering would be really informative and interesting for the beginners. Maybe Craig could replace a selenium rectifier and coupling caps in a tube amp or receiver. It would be a reasonable 30 minutes or so, and would generate a ton of great discussions and Q & A.

f. Maybe a room or two with some A/B'ing set up. No, no I'm not talking about getting into cable wars, but it might be really interesting to hear the difference between 86 dB speakers and 98 dB speakers, or the difference between SET & PP amps with identical speakers & source components. Identical artist/album on CD and vinyl. Lots of opportunities without getting controversial!

g. This one may not be easily doable, but I was thinking of something on acoustics. Perhaps showing changes in speaker placement, against the wall, not against the wall, toe-in, spacing between speakers, long wall, short wall, on stands, not on stands, etc. Just an idea!

5. I think it's really, totally, absolutely reasonable to charge a small fee for attending. For all of the members that work for companies that are in industries with national meetings/conventions/seminars...how often are those free? I'm talking about bumping it up to something very nominal, like $50, to help cover expenses, prizes, pizza for lunch and beer & wings on Saturday night, etc.

Hope this helps with the discussion. We've got lots of time 'til next year!

Clay

[luvvinvinyl]

Clay

A cogent, comprehensive post! Well said, sir!

I like your demo suggestions, and the caution that they be scheduled, with a sign-up in advance, to gauge interest.

I would be happy to sacrifice my personal time to lead a scholarly expedition across the border, to study "Modern Interpretive Dance", at the Windsor Ballet. Not that I have any first-hand knowledge! Umm, is my wife reading this?

[Retro Stereo]

Clay you da man! :thmbsp:

Just what he said!


Retro

[shelby1420]

My 2 cents...... as i have already posted in this thread i thought fest 2005 was perfect, i missed the awards Sat ( did not know they were being done then, was bummed about that.....) but probably just missed the appointment that they were being done...... other then that its hard to improve on something sa well organized and thought out as this last fest was!!!!!

[Kegger]

I second clay's whole post/suggestions except!

"5. I think it's really, totally, absolutely reasonable to charge a small fee for attending. For all of the members that work for companies that are in industries with national meetings/conventions/seminars...how often are those free? I'm talking about bumping it up to something very nominal, like $50, to help cover expenses, prizes, pizza for lunch and beer & wings on Saturday night, etc."

Call me a cheapskate but I'm not just thinking of myself, I think $50 is a little steap and feal something more like $20 is appropriate!
$50 might put some people off a bit.

Just my thinking here!

[jerrymrc]

As long as it is not further east of this years I will do AK Fest 2006. I think the idea of having some of the members systems, Vintage/New/Diy is what set
it apart from the "New car Show" Thing.

We all can go down and listen to new equipment but the thought of having members systems there and hearing sounds of the past are what AK is all about.

I can do a system set up in a room and a Veneer DIY over the weekend. Just sign me up. :thmbsp:

[surfdoc37]

OK, I read it all. VEGAS. Cheap rooms, cheap food, cheap airline tickets from anywhere on the planet. Plenty of wandering tourists could also PAY ADMISSION, imagine that.

My marketing sense kicks in now. If you want to expand, you have to take the show on the road. How many east or west coasters will NEVER attend a Fest just due to distance? It's one of those "If I'd only known it was this much fun I'd have been going for years". You bring others into the fold so they can fly out east the next year. Bring their equipment when the Fest is close, fly in to enjoy when it's not. Just do a three part rotation, east, central, west. East, central, west. Nuff of that.

Vegas has it all, even the wary would go figuring they could find something enjoyable to do if the Fest didn't fill their needs 24/7. Three days, yes, full schedule on paper and online in advance would be a must. However I have to agree, had it been a nicotine Fest I'd have never returned and likely regretted attending in the first place. I'm spoiled now that my state doesn't allow smoking in restaurants, bars, work places, bowling alleys, etc. How nice it is to go out and actually BREATHE. I've fogotten that it's not that way everywhere.

Charge yes, AK members get a discount if they support AK financially, ADVANCE TICKET DISCOUNTS. That would help to set a budget. Lots of great ideas from FisherDude above, did that include a session on reading schematics? I can see the need for a big screen with a remote camera broadcasting the soldering, coning, etc. How about an eBay session on buying, selling, photographing, and all that?

Vegas has more cheap buffets than you can shake a stick at. You all could load up a van in Chicago and road trip out to Vegas with the gear... But I'll tell you if we aren't all exposed to a Fest we'll never take that first step and attend one. The critical mass phenomenom may be simply due to location and convenience. I could personally write the trip off as a business expense and may consider it next year depending on how the year progresses, but if it were nearby it would be a much easier decision. 'Just get 'em in, then they'll be hooked'. The rest will take care of itself.

Just some thoughts from the Left Coast.

[styler]

Vegas is one of my least favorite cities, buuuuut in may ways you are right. one important question is:
do we want it much bigger?

i concur on the basic sentiment of your points. keeping it in the same spot year in and year out will take a toll. however, good points have been made regarding vendors, dedicated group of AKers in MI, etc. i do think that the site should move. one nasty part of vegas is that we may get treated as a convention, when that happens, all the rules change. one has to pay fees for various services (like bringing audio equipment into a hotel) and trust me, after doing trade shows, that aint cheap. on the other hand, LV has a plethora of small hotels where we could likely rent the entire hotel.

but back to your points, i think you are correct, we need to take east and west into account and allow all members equal opportunity to enjoy the fest, hey 'toze you wanna set it up in LV?
:D

[tentoze]

Available for advance work only- I won't be here past the end of the year.

[botrytis]

Why not 'Toze? Inquiring minds want to know!!!

Dave

[NOSValves]

I think it should stay the same except for one thing. Grumpy needs some serious dosages of Valium for the weekend;)

[vintage-yungin]

well there arent many members in cali but d@mn that sure would be nice :yes:

[krimney]

I've never been there and would like a reason to go..I don't gamble. but opening up AKfest to the public, while raising some $ would also take away from the overall "family" feeling from keeping it a members only event. Many times at AKfest 2005 I moticed rooms left un attended, some I walked in to sat down and listened. the owners were off doing their own thing. If the event was open to the public, I wouldn't feel too comfortable leaving MY gear and music un attended. A public event would eventually lead to everyone just staying with their own gear to keep an eye on it. Public also means kids and we all know what kids do to dust caps. :yes: