Guitar Shows in Boston

[Gary in Boston]

OK a question. Why is it Boston can't seem to get it together with guitar shows.

Over the years I've been to a few smallish ones west of the city and then last year my hopes were raised to new levels when there was very large show in Boston.

It was three days. Tons of equipment, jams, seminars. Very well run. I had a grand time. It was run by Premier Guitar Shows. Not associated with Premier Guitar Magazine.

This year I looked on line and noted no show Hmmm I says was I dreaming last year?

I mistakenly Emailed Premier Guitar Mag and they informed me they were not affiliated AND Premier Guitar Shows was out of business........................ For God's sake what does it take to have a once a year guitar show in this city. We are not low on spirit, bands, talent, we have Berkley School of Music after all so what gives?

Does anybody out there know of shows coming in Boston? Or why they are none?

[beatcomber]

Maybe we're too close to NYC?

[jaydawg]

That's a great point. I'm in southern Maine and the Boston area is the only hope I have for guitar shows and every year I wait to see some listing for an area show but nothing!!!

I'm with you Gary, what the H E double hockey sticks!!!!

[Gary in Boston]

I think perhaps we are too close to NYC. I also think Boston has an inferiority complex with NYC.

BUT of late Boston has stuck a deal with the teamsters and we are now becoming a movie making location. There are no less than 8 movies in production as I write this Email. In addition there is even talk of a major movie studio being opened in Plymouth MA.

What's this have to do with guitars......................

We now maybe, just maybe Boston will stop being the second fiddle to NYC and shows will start to come our way.

Gary

[Ed Bickert]

FYI, I attended that show. As great as it was, it was a financial failure. That show was heavily advertised on regional media including TV. A few independent reviews mentioned that a lot of the venders said that they didn't make enough money to cover the cost of coming to the show. Moreover, the show may have been busy, but attendance was far below what was expected. Many venders said they would not come back.

So there you have it. They didn't make enough money to make it worthwhile. And for my part, I think it was very poorly run. The seminars were a jumbled mess and the walls were so thin that you could hear other seminars taking place at the same time.

Don't get me wrong, i LOVED the show. I got to meet some luthiers, see some of the bigger online store people, and just ooh and ahh some rare stuff. But I thought it was a jumbled mess overall. And apparently most people felt the same way.

lastly, it was made public that they would not be coming back only a few months after they left.

And I don't know if it's liability reasons or just stupidity, but that magazine was the same. I subscribed to the magazine while there (they gave a killer rate).

Regionally Boston is NOT a good place to hold a show because there's no traffic coming from east of it. New York will have a much larger general audience.

Anyway, it was fun while it lasted.

[Gary in Boston]

That, unfortunatly makes sense to me. No traffic from the East. Maybe I was blinded by the excitement of it all and didn't notice the thin walls etc. I went to a blues jam, pedal try out, Robin Ford lecture. etc etc etc

Oh well I was hoping there would be more.

Gary

[markothefish]

I was thinking the same thing the other day as I was looking through a Vintage Guitar magazine . There were shows in all other major cities but none in the NorthEast. 2 or 3 years ago I went to a small guitar show in Dedham Mass . coincidentally right across the street from where I work , I was able to buy an old Silvertone tube amp for $30 . Maybe guitar shows are break even or losing money propositions and its not worth renting the space in this area .