Sweetwater presents GearFest ’14, continuing their free annual music trade show at Fort Wayne, Indiana.
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This event is meant to celebrate the musicians and the equipment they use to make music, featuring a variety of activities and gear expo that are open to the public.
GearFest is considered as the largest music trade show that is open to the general public in the US, and Sweetwater is aiming to make it the musician’s mecca, with two days worth of gear mania.
This year’s event will feature a number of manufacturer exhibits, instrument workshops and flea market that goes along with various educational and musical demonstrations facilitated by some of the industry’s biggest names. While participating in the activities, you will also be in the running to win various prizes from the hourly giveaways and drawings. You can also bring your guitar to GearFest and Sweetwater will have it re-stringed and setup for free.
Aside from gear overload and great food, the event will also showcase the recently completed 132,000 square foot expansion of the Sweetwater Campus.
Sweetwater Founder and President Chuck Surack said, “GearFest is a truly unique event in this country and in the music retail business. Where else can musicians and music-lovers come to see, hear, and enjoy what is usually reserved for music industry insiders. We’re also particularly proud to be able to produce this huge event in Fort Wayne, bringing people here from literally all across the country.”
GearFest ’14 will host more than 200 manufacturers of musical instruments, music technology, and audio equipment. They will be expected to display their best and latest gear. This makes the event a rare opportunity to sample the products of more than 35 guitar gear manufactures, more than 45 recording equipment vendors, 20 software publishers, 20 microphone makers, and many more.
There will be six different venues for musicians to perform and facilitate workshops. Here are the featured artists from the official press release – drummer Jason Bonham, son of legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, bass player Billy Sheehan, drummer Kenny Aronoff, guitarists Jason Hook, Shaun Hopper, Don Carr, Devin Townsend, Emil Werstler, Carl Verheyen, and Brad Davis, keyboard player Larry Dunn, and many more.
The Sweetwater GearFest ’14 will also feature some of the best producers and sound engineers, including Bruce Swedien (Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Count Basie), Bob Clearmountain (The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen), Ed Cherney (Eric Clapton, Bob Seger, The Fabulous Thunderbirds), Mick Guzauski (Daft Punk, Earth, Wind & Fire, Mariah Carey), Ross Hogarth (Van Halen, Motley Crue, REM), Richard Chycki (Aerosmith, Rush, Mick Jagger), Bil Vorndick (Bob Dylan, Alison Krauss, Bela Fleck), and Fab Dupont (Queen Latifah, Jennifer Lopez, Bon Jovi). They will all sit down at the trade show’s marquee event to discuss a wide range of music recording and production topics, which will be moderated by Sweetwater’s Editorial Director Mitch Gallagher.
As expected, the retailer will be offering many of their products with special discounts that will only be available at the event. Interestingly Sweetwater will not be hogging all the sales because they will allow musicians to buy, sell or trade used gear at the event’s special flea market.
As if free entertainment, workshops, flea market and price cuts were not enough, Sweetwater will also be giving away more than $72,000 worth of free gear via hourly drawings. Instruments and gear from Fender, Gibson, Antelope, Moog, Focal and many others will be at stake.
GearFest 2014 is happening on Friday, June 6 from 9 am to 6 pm, and Saturday, June 7 from 9 am to 5 pm. The address for the event is 5501 US Hwy 30 W, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Pre-GearFest workshops will also be available for the first time this year, scheduled on Thursday, June 5. For the complete schedule of events and to pre-register online, visit Sweetwater.
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See our list of Top 10 Guitar Effects and see many of them in action at GearFest ’14!