How can we find a good venue for WDfests?

[Greg.]

I want to be tactful here because I know how much hard work Steve puts into making the Eggfests work and I also acknowledge the big effort Martin and his wife Sam put in to make last wekkends Shoot-out run so smoothly.

Having attended all these events in the past I'm very conscious that we all arrive with great expectations, pile our individual kit into the melting pot and regardless of the suitability of the listening room, expect to get some sound synergy. Invariably this doesn't happen immediately and we spend the rest of the day swapping this that and the other to get it to happen. Just as we are ready to pack up, some sort of quality sound is starting to be achieved. Peter has posted elsewhere about this type of issue. We spend most of our valuable time getting it all to work instead of sitting back and just listening and assessing.

Now you may think I'm being a little idealistic (that's an unfortunate personal trait) but it would be so good if we could find a meeting venue where the room(s) available is good for listening from the outset. That would have half the battle won and give us good time to get the systems right. I'm talking about no large room/hall, no large window glass area, no large hard and unbroken wall surfaces etc.

If we did this in Bristol, I can think of a number of venues that could be used. The overall cost might be a bit higher than we are used to, but would IMHO be worth it. However, we really need a location central within the country to be in good striking distance of the majority and Bristol in this respect is too far south.

Is there anyone situated approximately just north of Leicester, Nottingham etc who would be willing to take on the task of hunting down a suitable venue for future meets? It really would make such a difference if we could start off with a good listening environment. What do you think? I'd do it if I could but I can't, so anyone willing to give it a go?

Best wishes,

Greg

[Brian]

If you want things to sound as they would in a 'normal' room doesn't that mean a normal room?

I'm not being funny, Greg. What kind of venue has rooms set up like normal living rooms? People comment that rooms at hotels aren't ideal, but where will you find a room of a normal UK living room size that is furnished the way most of us probably furnish our rooms? That's what you need, isn't it? Doesn't that automatically mean you won't get everyone in there at once?

To be honest, if it's a 'do' in the summer I'd be happy for people to congregate at my house (the garden being an overflow), stay in the local B&B's and accept that we can't all listen at the same time.

I'll look around for some local venue's, but I just can't see it working out to be honest.

Brian

[Greg.]

Ok, I implied I was idealistic, but not to that degree, Brian. I completely understand this would be a listening compromise, but my suggestion is that we find somewhere that from the outset minimises alot of the issues we currently suffer from when we go to Eggfest or Shoot-out etc. Therefore, the ideal would be a venue with two or three reasonably sizable rooms with relatively low ceilings and a not too sparce area of stone wall and big window etc. Surely these places are out there. We just need an enterprising member living in a central area willing to hunt them down.

Best wishes,

Greg

[Brian]

Originally Posted by Greg.

Ok, I implied I was idealistic, but not to that degree, Brian. I completely understand this would be a listening compromise, but my suggestion is that we find somewhere that from the outset minimises alot of the issues we currently suffer from when we go to Eggfest or Shoot-out etc. Therefore, the ideal would be a venue with two or three reasonably sizable rooms with relatively low ceilings and a not too sparce area of stone wall and big window etc. Surely these places are out there. We just need an enterprising member living in a central area willing to hunt them down.

Best wishes,

Greg

Ok. But I don't think it's that easy, it just sounds like it is.

BTW If 20 odd people ( and I mean 'odd' people) think this might work in a normal house I'm prepared to host it. The living room is 20' x 11.5' and the garden has dogs in it.

5 miles north of Cheltenham

[david counter]

what about Pubs
a lot of them have rooms that they rent out for events,

[Brian]

Originally Posted by david counter

what about Pubs
a lot of them have rooms that they rent out for events,

Aye, but they're just rooms, Dave.

[Greg.]

I think David has a point and that is exactly what I'm thinking about. Maybe there are siome pub options worth exploring. As with Bristol, I think Cheltenham is too far south. We want somethying in the North Midlands.

Best wishes,

Greg

O.K orgaize it, not at the expence of the Eggfest which will run whatever you do. Iam one of a few from the n/east and there are a few from Scotland, I would imagine if a Fest was held in Newcastle there would be more audio geeks to raise there heads. The Guy that produced the Common Ground Mags lives down the road I will give him a call, maybe Peter knows him, Iam not at liberty to reveal his real name.
Good Luck.
Will.
I walked the dog passed this common ground guys house a few weeks ago and the sound that filtered out was very nice I paused for a while and so did the dog.

[petercom]

After the phono shoot out I was thinking of a WDFest in our local village hall, but after Greg's comment on rooms it wouldn't be ideal.

Hotels are just too expensive - they want £100 plus for a room per day, and it's tough to find a good room.

The difficulty is in finding a 'normal' sounding, and furnished, room that can accommodate 30+ valve fanatics plus equipment.

I'll keep looking.

[Paul Barker]

Before Eggborough all we did was congregate in each others' houses, and a great time we had, up here we would get maybe 10 people in, and had a whale of a time. We becamne good friends and crashed on each others sofas ready for a second day.

There is no reason why these should stop for those local to each other.

The bigger events are great also for meeting the ones who live far from us. We have to accept that the equipment may be a lot better in the guy's own listening room.

Greg's plan is right and good, but if we can't pull it off, I'll still want to meet up in poor rooms just to share the crack.

I can get a great hotel lounge and rooms for everyone in Scarborough out of season. I haven't offered it before because the majority don't want to come this far, and our small niche group that spans from Scarborough to North (and South Dave) Wales don't warrant the xpense, we can manage in a living room.