SXSWORLD

Expanded Gear Alley Electrifies Both Artists and Manufacturers By Peter Lewis fourth floor and was expanded into two adjacent ballrooms in order to feature two key elements: In Ballroom G there was a performance stage, specifically constructed for product demos and to allow acts to test gear, and next door in Ballroom F, a litany of great gear manufacturers was fea- tured. With each exhibitor eager to showcase equipment developments, business was bubbling. Having so much gear in a concentrated area allowed for great interactions with artists and registrants alike. Evan O'Brien of Korg USA summarized the spirit of the area: "Gear Alley is a great idea. It gives artists and other visitors a chance to check out and learn about the latest and greatest from brands while giving (us) a chance to engage with players face to face." T hough a part of SXSW Music Trade Shows in past years, this year Gear Alley underwent big changes. While the rest of the trade show moved to the first floor of the Austin Convention Center, Gear Alley stayed on the Gear Alley Expo While the exposition was open to all registrants, it was Gear Alley's location next to the Artist Lounge that had many exhibitors excited. As an artist relations manager for Moog, Jason Daniello was particularly piqued: "It allowed all who came through the opportunity to explore our gear and see how it all works together." The avenue between the manufacturers and the client base is a reciprocal relationship. So while Moog enjoyed the chance to enlighten and educate, others sought the direct feedback of those using their products. Abelton's Managing Director, Dave Hill, recounted his company's experiences with the steady streams of artists visiting its booth: "It gave us a chance to catch up with a wide array of SXSW performers from all over the world who are using Ableton on a very advanced level. It was quite a weekend, and we learned a lot about how artists are using Live, especially in a band and songwriting context." Dan Glove, the founder of Dubspot, went on in detail about the benefits of the nearby stage as well: "The performance stage was a great added bonus. By allowing vendors to present their gear over a system, on a stage, and in a large room, with specifically assigned times that allowed for advanced promotion, the participants were provided the opportunity to viscerally demonstrate the competitive advantage of their products or services." The gloves were off in the Gear Alley Performance Stage (GAPS). Whether it was a hard-rocking group from Russia or a Moog demo session with Shout Out Out Out Out from Canada, the Gear Alley Performance Stage was live and loud. With limited opportunities to truly test out gear in a performance atmosphere, SXSW showcasing artists took to the GAPS stage with reckless abandon. Part demo, part showcase, the GAPS stage was rocking throughout the event. "It was a cool experience, fast and to the point," said Kenny McCracken, lead singer and guitarist for the British rock band, Gloria Cycles. He went on to laud the benefits of being able to draw "fresh faces in to the hall to experience our noise." This freedom to perform was a key selling point for artists looking to test out gear. Too often, artists are thwarted by the sterile atmosphere or restrictive sales staff in stores. Gear Alley's Performance Stage aspired to subvert these restrictions and by doing so, granted the area a raucous feel. And it allowed bands like Capsula, an Argentinian garage rock band, the chance to test out new distortion pedals they were looking to add to their live set. Capsula's vocalist and bassist, Coni Duchess, relayed the band's delight at Gloria Cycles on the Gear Alley Performance Stage 44 SXSW ORLD / M AY -J UNE 2010 prospect, adding that the chance to test the gear as it would be used on stage was an inimitable experience. Gear Alley was a lofty endeavor, blurring the lines between business and unhinged performance. As folks from Ableton conversed with members of Cheap Trick, an Iranian rock band could happen to be next door taking the gear through the works. In essence, Gear Alley was a microcosm of SXSW Music: part business and part performance, with free-spirited fun filling in the cracks. n this STEPHEN DEMENT STEPHEN DEMENT

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