[Pez]

This year was a down year in a lot of ways. Attendance was down, Vendor participation was down, and my buddy Tyson was down -but not out! In past years I've often said 'I can't imagine doing this show without Tyson'. Well, now I have and I can say definitively it sucks. Trying to cover the show solo is a nightmare. I was wandering around aimlessly just trying to visit rooms I either heard were good, or remember being good previously. There was no militaristic time keeping and organization that Tyson brings to the table. And for those watching, there was no back and forth banter of Tyson being completely wrong and me valiantly trying my best to correct his opinion to no avail.  BUT the show was far from all bad.

I LOVE seeing everyone. Special shout out to Rim who is one of my favorite people period. Such a class act, funny, charismatic, and just the right amount of goofball. It was really fun going around with you on saturday and sunday. I want to shout out to ALL the AC family but would feel awful if I forgot a single one of you Oh well here I go! Vinyllady, Bigred, Dan, Danny ehider, DaveC, Standub, mgalusha, Mike Garner, Ryan w/ Vapor, ltr317 (who I didn't get a chance to talk with!) Mr. + Mrs Ninja, Lou H, Klaus and AlexG (Two of my favorite people and whackiest characters I've ever met) Irina (Klaus's better half), Glenn and Shelly, Roscoe, TomS, ehider.... GAH!!  I'm brain-dead post show, sorry for everyone I'm failing to remember at the moment. Any way my point is after having done this show more times than I can count I have reached the point where the gear and the promise of great sounding setups is sort of passé. In a sense I think that fact gives me a less biased opinion. Or maybe it just means my biases have infected me to my core, I don't know. What I do know is this year the only reason I got excited to come is because ALL of you. Not to mention all the new friends I met this year (Knut, Mr + Mrs Ninja, Rich you are all freakin' great!). This show isn't about gear or even music. It's about sharing our love for both with like minded wonderful people whom I am so lucky to see even once a year. THAT is truly best of RMAF, that has always been the best of RMAF and I get emotional when I think of the wonderful time I shared with all of you, as brief as it was, I will never forget the time we have together.

From the bottom of my heart I love you all.


by -jaspoon187-
From left to right- Rich w HAL, Jason, Roscoe, Rim, Klaus, Irina, Alex - at our annual celebration at Shanahan's steakhouse- In loving memory of our friend John aka TheChairGuy. We miss you buddy.

[jtwrace]

Great to speak with you too.   

[Pez]

BLAH!! I knew this would happen! So sorry I forgot to mention you Jason! It was great talking with you too!

[vinyl_guy]

I LOVE seeing everyone. Special shout out to Rim who is one of my favorite people period. Such a class act, funny, charismatic, and just the right amount of goofball. It was really fun going around with you on saturday and sunday. I want to shout out to ALL the AC family but would feel awful if I forgot a single one of you Oh well here I go! Vinyllady, Bigred, Dan, Danny ehider, DaveC, Standub, mgalusha, Mike Garner, Ryan w/ Vapor, ltr317 (who I didn't get a chance to talk with!) Mr. + Mrs Ninja, Lou H, Klaus and AlexG (Two of my favorite people and whackiest characters I've ever met) Irina (Klaus's better half), Glenn and Shelly, Roscoe, TomS, ehider.... GAH!!  I'm brain-dead post show, sorry for everyone I'm failing to remember at the moment. Any way my point is after having done this show more times than I can count I have reached the point where the gear and the promise of great sounding setups is sort of passé. In a sense I think that fact gives me a less biased opinion. Or maybe it just means my biases have infected me to my core, I don't know. What I do know is this year the only reason I got excited to come is because ALL of you. Not to mention all the new friends I met this year (Knut, Mr + Mrs Ninja, Rich you are all freakin' great!). This show isn't about gear or even music. It's about sharing our love for both with like minded wonderful people whom I am so lucky to see even once a year. THAT is truly best of RMAF, that has always been the best of RMAF and I get emotional when I think of the wonderful time I shared with all of you, as brief as it was, I will never forget the time we have together.

From the bottom of my heart I love you all.

Jason, great seeing you too and I couldn't say it better than you did--the gear and the music are great, but the people are what make RMAF a great show and a must attend event. This was my 10th in a row and spending time with many of those you mentioned plus Marjorie, Terilyn and the many volunteers is what makes the effort to attend so worthwhile.

See you next October.

[jtwrace]

BLAH!! I knew this would happen! So sorry I forgot to mention you Jason! It was great talking with you too!

It's totally fine!  Between RMAF and kids it's understandable.   

[mgalusha]

I LOVE seeing everyone. Special shout out to Rim who is one of my favorite people period. Such a class act, funny, charismatic, and just the right amount of goofball. It was really fun going around with you on saturday and sunday. I want to shout out to ALL the AC family but would feel awful if I forgot a single one of you Oh well here I go! Vinyllady, Bigred, Dan, Danny ehider, DaveC, Standub, mgalusha, Mike Garner, Ryan w/ Vapor, ltr317 (who I didn't get a chance to talk with!) Mr. + Mrs Ninja, Lou H, Klaus and AlexG (Two of my favorite people and whackiest characters I've ever met) Irina (Klaus's better half), Glenn and Shelly, Roscoe, TomS, ehider.... GAH!!  I'm brain-dead post show, sorry for everyone I'm failing to remember at the moment. Any way my point is after having done this show more times than I can count I have reached the point where the gear and the promise of great sounding setups is sort of passé. In a sense I think that fact gives me a less biased opinion. Or maybe it just means my biases have infected me to my core, I don't know. What I do know is this year the only reason I got excited to come is because ALL of you. Not to mention all the new friends I met this year (Knut, Mr + Mrs Ninja, Rich you are all freakin' great!). This show isn't about gear or even music. It's about sharing our love for both with like minded wonderful people whom I am so lucky to see even once a year. THAT is truly best of RMAF, that has always been the best of RMAF and I get emotional when I think of the wonderful time I shared with all of you, as brief as it was, I will never forget the time we have together.

I so agree with this, for me RMAF is much more about getting to hang with folks from AC and others that I only see once a year than checking out more stuff I can't afford even if I did love it. Met a few new faces this year, which is always great. While I've helped out friends/vendors many times over the years this was the first show where I've had responsibility for a significant portion of the room, so that was a new experience and thankfully things seemed to go well.

mike

[HAL]

Pez,
It was great to hang out with you as well.  It is great to meet new folks every year and talk about music and gear. 

Your analysis is spot on. 

Shanahan's was a great time.   Thanks go to Rim for setting it all up.  Some of the best food and service I have had.  Hanging out made it 100x better! 

Rich

[roscoeiii]

Well put. Great to meet so many ACers in person. Sorry I didn't get more time with many of you. Running into a guy I went to college with while waiting on the shuttle meant I had less hangout time with ACers than I'd hoped.

[ltr317]

...I want to shout out to ALL the AC family but would feel awful if I forgot a single one of you Oh well here I go! Vinyllady, Bigred, Dan, Danny ehider, DaveC, Standub, mgalusha, Mike Garner, Ryan w/ Vapor, ltr317 (who I didn't get a chance to talk with!) Mr. + Mrs Ninja, Lou H, Klaus and AlexG (Two of my favorite people and whackiest characters I've ever met) Irina (Klaus's better half), Glenn and Shelly, Roscoe, TomS...

In loving memory of our friend John aka TheChairGuy. We miss you buddy.

Hey Jason - It would have been impossible to talk since I wasn't at the show this year, unless I did the astro-out-of-body thing.  I felt like I was almost there, thanks to your excellent coverage.  Catch you on the rebound, along with a bunch of other ACers next year. 

Cheers,
Paul

p.s. Did you see Fritz wandering the halls, since he was just an attendee this year? 

[vinyl_guy]

I ran into Frtiz at the bar and in the halls.

Jtwrace--Can't believe we didn't run into each other. I would have enjoyed catching up. Hopefully, next year.

[jtwrace]

Jtwrace--Can't believe we didn't run into each other. I would have enjoyed catching up. Hopefully, next year.

I know.  Even my wife asked if I saw you.  Axpona 2015?  If I can I think I'll do it.

[WGH]

I joked with Fritz the we should be tweeting "Fritz sightings" so other people could find him.

[ltr317]

I joked with Fritz the we should be tweeting "Fritz sightings" so other people could find him.

We should change "Where's Waldo" with "Where's Fritz."   I got his revised Carbon Sevens for review.  Looking forward to it 

[Pez]

Hey Jason - It would have been impossible to talk since I wasn't at the show this year, unless I did the astro-out-of-body thing.  I felt like I was almost there, thanks to your excellent coverage.  Catch you on the rebound, along with a bunch of other ACers next year. 

Cheers,
Paul

p.s. Did you see Fritz wandering the halls, since he was just an attendee this year?

Wow I swear I saw you in the hall as I was rushing to the next thing. Damn I am losing my mind.

[ebag4]

Sorry, wrong thread.

[ltr317]

Wow I swear I saw you in the hall as I was rushing to the next thing. Damn I am losing my mind.

 

Maybe that was my doppelganger, or just a dope.

[AlexG]

Rim,

What a great time, great people and great food...thanks again for organizing this beautiful evening in "memoir"...looking forward for the next one... I missed Tyson and hope he is recuperated by now.

Very nice to meet Rich and Roscoe this time.

Alex