There’s a motive AXPONA is so fashionable. After all, how typically do you’ve a possibility to listen to, for 3 days in a row, high-end stereo tools made by producers from world wide? That’s why over 9,000 folks converged to a suburb in Illinois for the 2023 occasion, and that’s why, for 3 days, the elevators had been full of audiophiles working their method from room to room. Two hundred rooms is usually a bit daunting for one weekend, however attendees did their finest to cowl as a lot floor as attainable.
While tools could also be the primary attraction at AXPONA, it isn’t the one recreation on the town. That would change into clear to you if, like me, you had been standing round shortly earlier than the Record Fair formally opened on Friday morning. There will need to have been 100 folks ready for these doorways to open.
And you may’t blame them, as AXPONA presents a splendid alternative to get your paws on what are very often extraordinarily restricted editions of audiophile LPs, deluxe editions, uncommon vinyl, and new vinyl, together with imports. Some titles had been launched that very same week, and in lots of circumstances solely the early birds had been in a position to seize these titles earlier than they had been gone. Buying records at AXPONA can truly prevent some cash, as the choice for most individuals means buying LPs on-line, which provides transport prices—and by the point you find yourself with a tall pile of wax (as many individuals did) you’ve saved your self so much moola. Below you’ll see the multi-tasking Chad Kassem from Acoustic Sounds on the far proper, attempting to carry court docket and promote bunches of records shortly after the Record Fair opened its doorways. He’s a very good multitasker.
I returned to the Record Fair a number of occasions in the course of the occasion, and when issues slowed down a bit I had an opportunity to talk with totally different distributors. Lisa Rothe from Direct Audio instructed me that vinyl is turning into more and more fashionable with followers of mainstream nation, and an early chicken bought all of the present nation LPs from her, and presumably for resale. Lisa additionally knowledgeable me that MoFi’s 1-Step of Michael Jackson’s Thriller has been certainly one of her best-selling titles:
Tyson Hall from Music Direct instructed me that though they stocked the heck out of the brand new 2-LP 45rpm vinyl of Warren Zevon’s Excitable Boy, ultimately they offered out of all their copies. Also scorching off the press was MoFi’s 1-Step of Elvis Presley’s From Elvis In Memphis, a 1969 launch that noticed Elvis as soon as once more in high type.
Kevin Berg from Elusive Disc stated a very fashionable title was Saturday Night in San Francisco, which that was recorded the night time after 1981’s Friday Night in San Francisco however solely launched final 12 months on the Impex label. Song-wise there’s no overlap between the 2 nights, and Saturday options, amongst different issues, a scorching efficiency of “Meeting of the Spirits,” a John McLaughlin composition that initially appeared on the primary Mahavishnu Orchestra LP, The Inner Mounting Flame. Quite merely, Saturday Night in San Francisco is a will need to have.
It’s all the time good to see Delmark Records on the occasion, as they’re a historic label with previous and new blues and jazz titles and they hail from Chicago. The CEO of Delmark, Julia Miller is seen right here holding a reel-to-reel tape of the Junior Wells basic, Hoodoo Man Blues.
AXPONA additionally presents an opportunity to fulfill musicians and advertising and marketing reps. Jazz singer and pianist Anne Bisson wore each of these hats this 12 months, performing a well-attended and well-received reside live performance on Friday night time and signing copies of her audiophile vinyl in the course of the day.
Along with taking part in harp, Isabeau Corriveau offered copies of her records within the foyer. Singer-songwriter Amber Rubarth carried out on Saturday night time. Also, Bob James signed copies of his reside trio album Feel Like Makin’ Live, on the Hong Kong-based Evosound label.
The founding father of Impex Records, Abey Fonn, held some talks the place, together with Nick Getz, the son of Stan Getz, she mentioned an upcoming 1-Step of Getz/Gilberto. Abey was additionally a part of a panel dialogue with Shane Boettner from Intervention Records, Julia Miller from Delmark, Chad Kassem from Acoustic Sounds/Analogue Productions, and Michael Fremer. The group mentioned the do’s and don’ts of remastering—and they need to know, as they’re all within the trenches.
The sorts of discussions and experiences described right here actually helped spherical out AXPONA, as, in the long run, it’s our love for music that makes us wish to hear recordings on great-sounding stereos.
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