Sweetwater Gearfest 2015: The Night Before

By: Rick Landers

Did you know Sweetwater began as a VW van-based music recording operation?

As the sun began to set in Fort Wayne, Indiana, I walked through the campus and back lot of Sweetwater to get a glimpse of what’s on-hand for tomorrow’s GearFest 2015, where thousands of musicians and music enthusiasts will converge to indulge themselves.

The two-day event will feature company exhibits of some of the world’s finest guitars, amplifiers, recording gear, drums, audio electronics, keyboards, special effects pedals, educational seminars, along with performances by world-class performers!

GearFest 2015 will kick off in the morning on June 12th and end late on Saturday, June 13^th. And a throng of visitors is expected that will include music gear dealers and distributors, world-class performers and members of the public.

Earlier in the day semi-trucks, vans and SUVs offloaded tons of gear, all aimed at attracting the crowd to come look, see, fiddle about and buy.

We checked out a few exhibits and saw a full display of Les Pauls, Strats and Teles, Yamahas, Guilds, Gretsches, Seagulls and more. Percussionists in the crowd will dig checking out top of the line drum kits, cymbals and drum hardware – and some kits are set up just begging passersby to bang away.

The hot spot in the Midwest, starting tomorrow, is the Sweetwater campus at 5501 U.S. HWY W., Fort Wayne, Indiana 46818 where music enthusiasts will check out all the gear in order to realize their music ambitions and dreams.

But, it’s getting late and tomorrow will soon arrive, so let’s end this evening with something to look forward to at GearFest 2015 – The Night Before!

Sweetwater staff moving gear the night before GearFest 2015 opens its doors…

Elvphant is our best guess!

Drummer Steve Ferrone [Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers] and a fan of the English football club Brighton and Hove Albion, running a sound check the night before!