The Music at AXPONA 2022


I didn't take any notes or data sets--but....that said...

Did it seem to you like at least half of the rooms played obscure audiophile music?  What's up with wind chimes, sound effects, electronic psychedelia, and so on, being so popular at the show?  It seems to me there are TONs of well recorded offerings that could be played from many genres. 

I like the avant garde, but at a show wouldn't it make more sense to stay on the highway of golden age jazz, folk, blues, rock, hip hop, classical?  

What I struggled with is there are so many superbly produced and engineered recordings available, why veer into such a direction?  

To be fair, there were many rooms with great musical selections.  Yet, it's hard for me to imagine folks saying, "hey, what's this track involving a waterfall, chimes, and percussion?  I need to hear it at home." 

Disclaimer--I realize there is some subjectivity to this and I'm certain I've got some "weird" music in my collection.  It just seems there's a big selection of music being played that alienates people. And that's saying something as many hifi enthusiasts have diverse tastes in music.  

128x128jbhiller

Here’s what I don’t get. Not only do most rooms play terrible music but at the same time there is always that incessant din of people talking. My position with audio is, if the music is playing then stfu! But then, I cannot listen to music while I’m working because my mind always wants to go to the music and it distracts my work.

...and most of the above is why, when at audio extravaganzas' in my past, I wore a pair of ear protection muffs.  One can only withstand so much before resorting to the bar for general anesthesia... ;)

Removed when something 'moved me' to remove them.  Otherwise, I'd save myself from the general din...

"Sparkle" 🙄  V. 'air', or 'crisp'?  *L*

A pair of 'cancelation' muffs would be the current 'opt out' for this mortal....

 

So true! 
Just noise and sounds in so many rooms. 
We made one last sweep as most vendors were packing up their equipment and I heard the opening chords of Cream’s White Room. It was like “music to my ears!”

 I almost ran to that room, sat down and absorbed the sounds of my youth. It was what later generations call “awesome “!

 Then the vendor played Almost Cut My Hair, then Wooden Ships. 
 He closed his room with a Santana tune and I loved the last 20 minutes if Axpona the most. 

@larsman +1

“That rock and roll, with it’s primitive, cacophonous noise, just some rube screaming about sex and debauchery, over a crudely-played I-IV-V chord progression.  That’s not music! Just garbage! Noise!!”

 

 

Best times I ever had at shows was the rare invite to listen after hours, these guys actually play good music then. Have a few cocktails, no incessant talking by attendees, way to get spoiled.