London bass guitar show 2018

[timmo]

I will be trying tomorrow. The roads are clearing up quite a lot, so I will be making an early start

 

[Silvia Bluejay]

2 hours ago, Chownybass said:

We are going to be there Sunday! Provided no more snow drops

Excellent! The show is already busy but probably busier tomorrow.

[TheGreek]

Anybody back yet? How did it compare to past events?

[Mister RLP]

I liked the way they had divided the rooms up rather than having one big space. Didn’t seem as noisy. 

[Mister RLP]

Bobby Vega very entertaining but missed most of it as arrived later than planned. Good to hear Yolanda  Charles playing with a top notch guitarist and drummer on the main stage. 

[ezbass]

I haven’t been for a few years but, for me, that was the best one so far. Chris Childs and Bobby Vega were brilliant, Guy Pratt as amusing as ever and obviously bumped into a few other BCers. A few more exhibitiors would’ve been nice, but what they’d be showing, I don’t know. If you’re going tomorrow,  you’ll have a good time.

[Sibob]

14 minutes ago, Mister RLP said:

Bobby Vega very entertaining but missed most of it as arrived later than planned. Good to hear Yolanda  Charles playing with a top notch guitarist and drummer on the main stage. 

Bobby played again (well Q&A type thing) in the SBL room at 2:30pm. Was very cool.

Show seemed busier than last time, and yes, the rooms separated in the main room definitly helped the noise!

Ienjoyed myself  

Si

[Guest]

They seriously need to give everyone trying out gear headphones. Some extremely noisy people with questionable talent. The show advertised quiet times for 45 minutes per hour - no chance! I was a touch surprised at how few stands there were, and had a brief stab at trying a bass (a nice ACG, not tried his filter preamp before), but could hardly hear it through headphones because of the racket. Oh and the noisy idiot right on the Eich stand hammering the hell out of a Fender all the way through the Gary Willis clinic in the room next door could do with learning when to shut the hell up!

[disgrace of bass]

I had originally booked for Saturday, but am contemplating coming Sunday after lunch for a few hours. Will there be a meeting spot for BC'ers? Like to put a few faces to names.

Cheers

Phil

[Silvia Bluejay]

There is a Basschat table in the entrance hall, next to the Chowny stand (which was empty today but hopefully not tomorrow).

[disgrace of bass]

Great. Well I hope to see you all there!

[BassAgent]

2 hours ago, FDC484950 said:

Oh and the noisy idiot right on the Eich stand hammering the hell out of a Fender all the way through the Gary Willis clinic in the room next door could do with learning when to shut the hell up!

Yeah sorry about that. It wasn’t me but I was at the stand and the guy was turning up the amp every time we turned it down. We’ll pay more attention to that tomorrow. Please ask us tomorrow or have somebody ask if you’re bothered by it

First day was pretty cool! More people than I expected and I was really blown away by the Marleaux and Dingwall basses. Can’t wait for tomorrow, but first, beer!

[MuddBass]

Great show on Saturday, but can't go today because of an afternoon jazz gig. 

Good points... 

Room dividers really helped with the sound. I actually spoke to suppliers without using quasi sign language / pointing. 

Some fab exhibitors, many of which had really enthusiastic staff. 

Great master classes and talks. Gary Willis was on form, and the highlight of the day for me. 

Bad points... 

Overpriced crap coffee. 

Lack of exhibitors again. Eg. Status, Overwater etc etc. You know, some British exhibitors at what is a British show! 

The many people who took the opportunity to play a slap chop they'd been learning all year just for this moment. Gee wiz, each to their own but you don't have to crank up every single amp up to the max as you go round the exhibition. Some people wanted the show to be named after them!! 

 

All in all though , another good show. If I am free next year I'll be back. Maybe we can have a BEST OF BRITAIN room? 

Greg 

 

[Booooooom]

Hopefully be there today! ‘bought’ a discount code but doesn’t appear to be a code in it - can you point out where I should see it?

Edit:

thanks Silvia an Ped... as you say only in advance

Edited March 4, 2018 by Booooooom

[OutSpoon]

Really enjoyed the show yesterday, highlights for me were seeing Bobby Vega skipping around and being funky with the SBL crew, Steve Lawson was beautifully ambient and I actually thought the coffee was quite good! It actually seemed quieter to me than last year, thunderous thumbs were more timid. At least that's how it seemed. Back again today - really want to have a noodle on some basses. And learn some more from the masters! See y'all there! 

[Silvia Bluejay]

I took 800 (eight hundred) photos of LBGS 2018 Day 1, which comfortably beats my NAMM record of a month ago.

I'll be there again today, with Happy Jack, who won't tolerate staying for the whole day, but will be around for a few hours.

Say hi if you spot me/us!

[G-77]

3 minutes ago, Silvia Bluejay said:

I took 800 (eight hundred) photos of LBGS 2018 Day 1, which comfortably beats my NAMM record of a month ago.

I'll be there again today, with Happy Jack, who won't tolerate staying for the whole day, but will be around for a few hours.

Say hi if you spot me/us!

That would have been 22+ Rolls of film in the old days!

[Silvia Bluejay]

28 minutes ago, Booooooom said:

Hopefully be there today! ‘bought’ a discount code but doesn’t appear to be a code in it - can you point out where I should see it?

The field for entering discount codes is on the ticket page, at the top of the ticket choice list, and you have to enter it FIRST.

Having said that, the online ticketing system only worked in advance of the show, so now it's door only.

[Silvia Bluejay]

Just now, G-77 said:

That would have been 22+ Rolls of film in the old days!

Plus a lot of money to develop them, if you didn't do it yourself (which I only did for B&W on my Dad's home-built equipment)

[Merton]

1 hour ago, five-string.co.uk said:

 

Lack of exhibitors again. Eg. Status, Overwater etc etc. You know, some British exhibitors at what is a British show! 

All in all though , another good show. If I am free next year I'll be back. Maybe we can have a BEST OF BRITAIN room? 

Greg 

 

Overwater got snowed in so couldn’t make it. As for Status it’s a shame they’ve not been there the last couple of years, I always enjoy a catch up with them!

[ped]

1 hour ago, Booooooom said:

Hopefully be there today! ‘bought’ a discount code but doesn’t appear to be a code in it - can you point out where I should see it?

If you mean you can’t find the discount code on BC, go to manage my purchases in the shop tab and you can find it there. It’s B4SSCH4T20

[PatrickJ]

I got to spend a few hours there yesterday morning, and it was highly enjoyable.

I hadn't been for a few years, last time I went I was disappointed so I wasn't inclined to return but my wife won me a few weekend ticket and gave me a green pass for the morning so I went down.

I really liked the way they laid out the halls - the advertised quiet times didn't play out but the room divisions kept the noise levels down.  Only had a problem with one dreadlocked white dude cranking a GR amp and slapping away drowning out everyone who was trying to be more considerate in the amp hall.  But hey, just one rusty bullethole was a massive improvement on previous years I've been.  

Chris Child's show was excellent, if I can get back today I'd like to see his masterclass.  Bobby Vega was on good form, though I'm not sure I learnt much from his master class.  I also caught Steve Lawson before I left, a very interesting talk on the nature of improvisation.

I actually wish there'd been a bit more in the way of commercial stalls, or at least more stock from the ones that were there.  

And as per previous comments some more British brands would have been nice, I was disappointed not to see some overwater basses.

 

Edited March 4, 2018 by PJ-Bassist

[Born 2B Mild]

I have attended every show since it began. I visited yesterday and noted the differences. The large hall has been partitioned into zones. The upside of this is the feeling of greater intimacy and less noise spill. 

Several repeat exhibitors have downsized their stands. To my mind, this did not reduce things from a visitors point of view. As an ex-exhibitor, I know that this reduces the amount of effort involved to load in and out. Consequently, we all gain because it makes the exhibitors more likely to rebook for the next show. 

I thought the luthier demonstration area near the cafe was a great idea. It gives people a place to sit to eat and drink whilst watching something relevant. 

Another improvement, albeit a small thing, is the lanyards have been replaced by wristbands and e-ticketing. This is not only more efficient it is also more environmentally friendly. 

I didn't attend any clinics or shows but I know these have become a real draw for visitors. 

All in all, in my opinion it is an improved show and that we should be grateful for Future to be putting on and allowing a focal point for the bass community. 

[Sibob]

I MIGHT be coming for a second day today.....bringing mini Sibob....we’ll see

Si

[SuperSeagull]

Enjoyed saying hi to the team on the Basschat stand yesterday and I will try not to lurk as much in the future. As to the show, the exhibition was a bit underwhelming - as has already been said there was an absence of some big names and it surprises me that Promenade Music and Bass Direct can attend but more local retailers like The Bass Gallery and even GAK don’t - no doubt there are cost and logistical issues I don’t understand. Bobby Vega was great, more funk in his little finger than I have in my entire body, and the Yolanda Charles main stage set was superb with Guthrie Govan as well. Enjoyed hearing Steve Lawson’s throughts on improv - a pleasant contrast to the mad slapping happening on some of the stands. The luthier talks were difficult to engage with as they were right next to the (overpriced) cafe. Wish I could have stayed on to hear Guy Pratt and can’t get back to today either.