GearFest 2015 was a bigger success than ever, breaking every record established by previous GearFest events. Launched in 2002, Sweetwater’s free, annual GearFest is the nation’s largest end-user-oriented music and pro audio festival, featuring exhibits from more than 400 manufacturers, workshops, clinics, seminars, live demos, special performances, a musician’s flea market, and much more.
This year’s two-day event, which took place June 12 and 13 at Sweetwater’s campus in Fort Wayne, Indiana, provided more opportunities than ever before for thousands of musicians, engineers, and producers to participate in the festivities, with customers traveling from all over the world to attend. Attendance was record-breaking, with more than 10,100 participants, up 27% over 2014.
GearFest hosted a multitude of musicians performing and in workshops continuously on five different stages. Featured guests included Jeff “Skunk” Baxter (Steely Dan, Doobie Brothers); Deep Purple vocalist and bassist Glenn Hughes; Shawn Pelton (Saturday Night Live, Sheryl Crow, Bob Dylan); bassist Nathan East (Barry White, Eric Clapton, Fourplay); Steve Ferrone (Average White Band, Chaka Khan, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers); DJ Ashba (Guns n’ Roses, Sixx:A.M.); and guitarist Mike Stern (Billy Cobham, Miles Davis, Jaco Pastorius). Other musicians included guitarists Mark Holcomb and Javier Reyes, keyboardist Steve Weingart, and many more. Engineers/producers included Sylvia Massy, Brian Vibberts, Rhett Lawrence, Fab Dupont, and many more.
Sweetwater’s Mitch Gallagher hosted a historic panel discussion with three pioneers of synthesis and electronic instruments: Roger Linn, Tom Oberheim and Dave Smith. In total, GearFest included more than 200 workshops and seminars on guitar, recording, and live sound, music creation with computers, acoustics, songwriting, and how to use electronic instruments.
Housed in 19 tents, more than 400 manufacturers of musical instruments, music technology, and audio equipment were on hand to provide GearFest attendees a look at the latest gear.
GearFest 2015 also served as the Grand Opening of Sweetwater’s hugely expanded and just recently completed new Music Store. GearFest attendees experienced 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.
For those who couldn’t attend GearFest in person, videos, photos, and updates were posted on Sweetwater’s popular Facebook page, as well as on YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter. Videos and photos will continue to post through the coming weeks.
For those in attendance, the opportunities for social media interaction included taking pictures in front of a Marshall Amp Wall and throughout the campus. Using the hashtag #gearfest, attendees could view their social media posts on a large display in the Downbeat Diner. Estimated total attendee posts for the two days was more than 15,000. Customers using the hashtag were also instantly entered in a drawing for fifteen great prizes. Plus, hourly prizes were given away to attendees, totaling more than $80,000 worth of music instruments and equipment.
Sweetwater Founder and CEO Chuck Surack remarked, “This year’s GearFest was one of the most exciting and humbling experiences of my career. I personally greeted thousands of our customers at the front door as they arrived and was astounded by the enthusiasm everyone seemed to have for Sweetwater, GearFest, and, in particular, for their interactions with our incredible employees. That, along with its continued growth in overall attendance and sales, has made GearFest a truly unique event in the music retail business.”
