Sweetwater Presents GearFest '17

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fort Wayne, IN, May 12, 2017 —Sweetwater will present GearFest '17, a celebration of musicians and the instruments and audio gear they use to make and record music, on Friday, June 23 and Saturday, June 24, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Sweetwater campus, 5501 US Hwy 30 W, Fort Wayne, Indiana. GearFest is free and open to the public.

Spread out over more than ¼-million square feet, GearFest, the largest music trade show open to the general public in the United States, combines a gear expo, entertainment events, a musicians' flea market, and musical demonstrations, with seminars and workshops by some of the biggest names in the music industry. GearFest also means two days of the best deals ever on the best music instruments and pro audio gear available.

Sweetwater Founder and President Chuck Surack said, "Music trade shows are traditionally reserved for music-industry insiders. GearFest is unique in being free and open to musicians and audio enthusiasts. We're particularly proud that GearFest has such a reputation that it is now bringing people from literally all over the world to Sweetwater's campus in Fort Wayne."

GearFest will feature more than 400 product lines, including the newest instruments, music technology, and audio equipment, all on display in dozens of tents and several semi-trailers. With so many manufacturers on-site, attendees can enjoy one-on-one time with master guitar luthiers, drum builders, microphone designers, acoustic engineers and many more, test drive cutting-edge audio equipment and instruments, and gain valuable technical and musical insights.

Attendees will also experience Sweetwater's own Music Store, one of the largest music instrument and audio gear stores in the Midwest, with the largest on-site inventory of any music store in the country.

GearFest will host a multitude of performers and engineers in workshops continuously on five different stages. The event headliner will be legendary guitarist Eric Johnson, who Guitar Player magazine called "one of the most respected guitarists on the planet." In addition to a prolific recording and performing solo career, Johnson has performed with artists such as Chet Atkins, Steve Morse, John McLaughlin, Carole King, Christopher Cross, and scores of others.

Featured guests include Grammy Award-winning producer/engineers Al Schmitt, Chris Lord-Alge, and Chuck Ainlay. Famed musicians include Steve Stevens, guitarist for Billy Idol and Michael Jackson; guitarist Andy Timmons, who has performed with everyone from Joe Satriani to the Beach Boys; Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and Earth, Wind & Fire keyboardist Larry Dunn; bassist and vocalist Rhonda Smith, who has toured with Prince, Beyonce, Jeff Beck and many others; virtuoso guitarist Robben Ford, who in addition to being a founding member of the Yellowjackets and successful solo artist, performed with Miles Davis, George Harrison, and Joni Mitchell; Terry Bozzio, drummer for Frank Zappa, Missing Persons, Duran Duran, and Deborah Harry; Omar Hakim, drummer for countless A-list artists including Miles Davis, Sting, Weather Report, Madonna, David Bowie, and Michael Jackson. The list goes on and on. To see a full list of presenter bios, go to: http://www.sweetwater.com/gearfest/presenters/

In addition to moderating a "Producer's Panel" featuring Chuck Ainlay, Chris Lord-Alge, Al Schmitt, Fab Dupont, and Neal Cappellino, Sweetwater's Mitch Gallagher will present two sessions: "Take your Studio to the Next Level" – strategies for improving and upgrading the gear in your studio; and "Build the Perfect Pedalboard" – how to select pedals and a pedalboard, design the layout, and assemble the pedalboard for maximum performance.

Special displays include a Keith Emerson Moog 81-module synth, and one of Terry Bozzio's huge DW drum sets. Sabian will present "Meet the Masters," featuring one-of-a-kind prototypes and a chance to meet the masters who created the most ground-breaking sounds in the cymbal industry.

Sweetwater's recently completed outdoor pavilion will be the venue for product demonstrations over both days, with Friday's finale being a workshop/ performance by Dweezil Zappa at 5 PM. A party for all attendees will follow, including a concert by Sweetwater's house band, the Sweetwater All Stars, joined by special guests.

Special GearFest features include hourly giveaway drawings for free gear totaling more than $50,000. Attendees can bring a guitar for a free restringing and setup, enjoy great food from Sweetwater's Downbeat Diner, and the Crescendo Café, featuring coffee drinks and the best ice cream and treats in the region. A generous selection of the region's most popular food trucks will also be on site.

A musicians' flea market, where used equipment can be bought, sold, or traded is open to all. To pre-register to participate in the flea market, call (260) 432-8176.

The entire GearFest '17 schedule of events is available online at: https://www.sweetwater.com/gearfest/workshops/

To speed up the registration process at the festival, you can pre-register online; visit: https://www.sweetwater.com/gearfest/register/

Out-of-town guests are encouraged to book hotel accommodations as early as possible. Travel and hotel information for Fort Wayne, IN, is available at: http://www.sweetwater.com/gearfest/reservations/

Sweetwater is pleased to offer free RV overnight parking spaces for dry camping, and a primitive tent camping area for GearFest attendees. RV spaces are on gravel and clearly marked, with a separate area for vehicles with generators. Tent spaces are available in a well-tended grassy area. All camping sites are within walking distance of Sweetwater's main building. There are a limited number of spaces available, so make your reservation today by clicking the box at the bottom of this page: https://www.sweetwater.com/gearfest/register/

For more information about GearFest 2017, call (800) 222-4700.
Captions:

Photo 1: Crowds thronged the popular DealZone, enjoying incredibly low prices, during GearFest 2016.

Photo 2: Terry Bozzio's huge drum kit will be on display at GearFest 2017.

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About Sweetwater Sound
Founded in 1979, Sweetwater is the nation's leading retailer in instruments and pro audio equipment for musicians, recording studios, broadcast, education, and houses of worship. Sweetwater's customers can be found everywhere music is heard and audio is played, broadcast, or recorded, including recording, film, and broadcast studios in New York, Nashville, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami; in hundreds of thousands of home recording studios; and in schools and churches nationwide. Sweetwater's founding and meteoric growth are built on a knowledgeable and experienced staff, outstanding selection and pricing, and above all, an unwavering commitment to customer service excellence in every situation. For further information, visit Sweetwater.com.

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