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L.A. Sound Mixer Gathering - What it is, what it is not


Jeff Wexler

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Ok everyone, apparently I need to clarify my name and set the record straight since I've been getting calls from peers about this.

First, I came home one night after work thinking it would be great if a few of us could hang out and have a drink. If you read my original post on that other thread you can attest to this being the case.

Then, my post gathered more momentum then I originally anticipated as quite a few of you said they'd like to join in the fun. I don't really want to go into details about vendors here but the gist of it is that Rich contacted me personally a few days before Glen posted he would sponsor it. I told both vendors that this is open to anyone willing to pitch in/sponsor it because I wanted this to have the same feel as the R.A.M.P.S party does. And lets be honest, its nice to get free swag from those vendors that are in business because of us. Heck, I've handed Zaxcom over $12k in the past 6 months alone. I had other vendors contact me, and although I never mentioned their names, they were on board the whole time. It felt great having so much support from everyone. But now, some vendors have pulled out because they didn't want to get tangled in all this mess. Since things have took a turn in the other direction I kinda feel like crap and I can't help feel like I let everyone down.

But, the bottom line is that this "casual gathering" is an "event" in the eyes of any restaurant/bar we go to. Any place is going to require a cash deposit to reserve a spot for our 65+ attendees, along with a $/per person minimum being spent, plus gratuity. So even though the spirit of this is for us to hang out someone is ultimately going to have to pay the bill at the end of the night. Our options, if we choose to refuse any vendors generosity, are for me to setup a PayPal link and have everyone pay $50+ dollars up front, or we can always go to the park and bring several 24 packs of bud-light and cook our own food on the publicly provided BBQ grills.

In regards to the flyer I think Senator is right in that I probably shouldn't have made this a JWsoundgroup.net thing. I can see how this put Jeff in a difficult situation since he now had to answer to a few angry vendors thinking he was being biased. Initially the flyer was approved and I thought I did a decent job on it. But, this has been a lessoned learned and its made me a bit sad/embarrassed how other groups are able to do this without a problem yet ours seems go nuclear/political for some reason. IDK, maybe there is something in our water.

In any case, I hope this post isn't closed or modified. I'd like to continue being here and sharing good jokes, info, tips, and other nonsense with the rest of you. After all, it was this forum that brought us all together so I sure hope we can squash all the politics and keep this thing going.

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The problem, again, is that "pitching in swag" (which is what all the vendors have done at all these other events that have gone on without a hitch) would have been just fine, but when this evolves into one vendor advertising that it was THEIR event, they were paying for everything, drinks and food are on them, this is a whole new deal. If Trew Audio or Location Sound, or Zaxcom or Sound Devices had said early on that they would like this event to be THEIR event, I would have had the same problem. If Trew Audio or anyone else wanted to promote an event on JWSOUND, no problem --- JWSOUND and all our members are totally supportive of all the dealer and manufacturers that are such an integral part of our world.

Since we have now committed to Gordon-Biersch, the date, the time, all the invitations, and have made guarantees to them (a guarantee that should have been run by ME since this was supposed to be the JWSOUND party) we have to come up with not only the expected swag but real MONEY to fund this event. If all this controversy has caused all the dealers who had offered to "sponsor" (and I still don't know what this word means) this event to pull out, then I don't know what to do.

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" similar to the long running R.A.M.P.S. Party at NAB. "

I for one, did not feel that way, I thought it was more like the 'Sound Guys Meet Up's' that have happened in NYC, and London. Those seemed to go off quite well, even with a "suspect" pitching in significant SWAG...

Pitching in significant swag is not the problem --- expecting some sort of preferential treatment or ownership rights for one's generosity is not right in this context. Also, paying the real costs (money) for an event, an event which didn't seem to have any real costs associated in the beginning, needs to be handled differently than it was here --- particularly if it is being called the JWSOUNDGROUP get together.

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Let's everyone continue with the plan of meeting at GB and enjoy everyones company and beer! WE can all pay our own tabs and any vendor or manufacturer can help with door prizes and the cost. This is too valuable of an event to pass up for this community to not get together. I know most of our manufactures and vendors will still step up and help out. Most of us were brought together by this group and this is a JWsound group gathering. I will be more than happy to buy the first round when I arrive.

I will bring an Anchor speaker and a mic for a VOG/PA system.

I am still in and I hope everyone else is also!

Life is too short, enjoy and be festive with your sound brothers and sisters for one afternoon!

Hope to see EVERYONE there that can make it!

Cheers,

Whit

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FLAG on the play!!

" I will be more than happy to buy the first round when I arrive. "

That sounds like Whit just took over

pass that torch...

Senator,

I'm am more than happy to get this gathering back on the right track. I am just going to charge for some extra gear next week to cover the first round that I am buying... ha ha ha

Hey can a mixer be the sponsor of the gathering? ......

Hope we can get this on the right track that it was meant to be on. Thanks Michael for all your work!

Whir

FLAG on the play!!

" I will be more than happy to buy the first round when I arrive. "

That sounds like Whit just took over

pass that torch...

Senator,

I'm am more than happy to get this gathering back on the right track. I am just going to charge for some extra gear next week to cover the first round that I am buying... ha ha ha

Hey can a mixer be the sponsor of the gathering? ......

Hope we can get this on the right track that it was meant to be on. Thanks Michael for all your work!

Whit

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I wish it was that easy. Our group is too big to just go and show up.

I still think that not everyone will actually show. Also, not everyone will show up at the same time. The original idea of Golden Road still seems good to me. 2pm was chosen because it was between meals. The place is huge. People drift in and out, buy their own stuff up at the bar (food or drink) and walk around. We don't need a private room for 65. Maybe just a few nerdy name tags to identify the attendees.

I don't know how this all got so out of hand.

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" The original idea of Golden Road still seems good to me. 2pm was chosen because it was between meals. The place is huge. People drift in and out, buy their own stuff up at the bar (food or drink) and walk around. "

yes...

back to #1: selecting a place and time...

the original idea had merit!

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There, we've come full circle with a lot of craziness in-between (self-induced in my case) and I am extremely pleased that we're going to be able to get together as planned!

I want to apologize, publicly and loudly, for my part in this whole mess... to whatever degree I was responsible for this detour from the original intent, I am deeply sorry.

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FWIW, I think it was right for Jeff to reign in the commercialization of an event that publicized the JWSound site as a participant. I'm sure it began innocently enough, but morphed into something different. I felt the same way years ago when early attempts were made by businesses to "take ownership" of the ramps party, and lobbied to keep it in the spirit of a neutral community/industry event, which, thankfully, it continues to be.

It may seem like too much being made about the small line between next month's Los Angeles event and any other event put on and paid for by a related business. But the difference is real, and a slippery slope that can harm the perceived neutrality of this forum, which is very important to it's credibility. This group is very valuable to our community and we should protect it.

Looking forward to seeing everyone there!

Glen Trew

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There, we've come full circle with a lot of craziness in-between (self-induced in my case) and I am extremely pleased that we're going to be able to get together as planned!

I want to apologize, publicly and loudly, for my part in this whole mess... to whatever degree I was responsible for this detour from the original intent, I am deeply sorry.

Trust me on this. You're an Aries and it couldn't be helped.

Eric

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