Jemfest 2003: Early Thoughts on Location?

Superuser · #1 06-09-2002, 10:13 PM

I hope everyone had a seriously fun time. I really hope to try and make it to one next year. I really want to make it, check out the sweet guitars, the awesome players, take in some local cuisine, show off my guitars, and get in on the jam!!

My opinion on 2003.

Could we make it closer to middle america?

My thought is Denver, Colorado

What are some other thoughts?

Robbie

dcord · #2 06-10-2002, 12:03 AM

Hope everyone had a blast at Jemfest! I just bid on some of Kirk's snot on eBay, apparently chicks dig him. LOL

Not that it matters

but my suggestion (as always) is St. Louis, MO.

Peace.
~d~

Gabe Nickelson · #3 06-10-2002, 09:25 AM

Orlando is not out of the question again for a possible venue location for next year.

If we decide 10 months in advance will everyone be able to make it?

BTW - I have Kirk's snot rag in my truck.

Gabe

vaijem777 · #4 06-10-2002, 12:08 PM

I'd second Denver...it's VERY centrally located, and has a pretty broad spectrum of hotels and nightlife.

jem7vwh · #5 06-10-2002, 12:19 PM

Orlando, with all of it's positive benefits, is a pretty long distance from some folks. Especially guys from the west coast. How about Houston?!!

bob oakman · #6 06-10-2002, 02:28 PM

Wherever it is, I am starting to make plans now. I will not miss another year. For me, where it is is somewhat irrelevant. Negotiating the time away from the job is the challenge. I paid for airline tickets that I did't even use this year. My guitars made it there, but I was stuck here. Last year I made it there and my guitars drove around with UPS for two weeks. Now I am really pissed. Next year... Gonna rent a friggin tour bus and making a big road trip out of it. Gonna have a big time! Make up for this years disappointment.

I suppose I shouldn't say things like "I am going to". I said that this year and look what happened.

Ricky Garcia · #7 06-10-2002, 03:27 PM

BOB!!!

MAN!!! I WAS SO PISSED until the last minute before I walked on stage... I was hopping to see a blond hairy monster walking in the door any minute.. I told everybody during my set who the BOBOMAN is and that he couldnt be with us friday night.

Well my girlfriend kept me happy during my set ... she came all the way from germany to visit. :P

jeffrey · #8 06-10-2002, 03:32 PM

I still say centrally located would be better.

I don't see why you guys don't just do it in Houston. :P

It'd be so much easier for the organizers and it's a huge city with plenty to do. Bob could probably even work out a place to hold it (like a sound stage or something) that would be a much cooler environment.

And it's not like you can't get flights to Houston.

pri0531 · #9 06-10-2002, 03:47 PM

Coming back to the office after being on vacation for two weeks was a nightmare. I am still digging out (I have been back for a week). Bob and I had the same problem - Too Much WORK. Next year I will not take vacation a week before jemfest. I would like to suggest Houston or my home away from home the NYC area.
Out,
GP

jeffrey · #10 06-10-2002, 04:10 PM

Even less chance of me going if it's in NYC. :P

I'm with the "centrally located" pundits on this one.

Orlando, along with NYC, is 2 of the four corners of the US. Not exactly convienent for everyone.

Gabe Nickelson · #11 06-10-2002, 04:14 PM

Come on guys of course we all want Jemfest in our own back yards. We've been through this before. There's more to choosing a location than just the fact it's in/near your town.

Organizing an event with 8 different bands (with no payments to them), with proper accomodations (some Hotels won't touch us with a 50ft pole), good established contacts on site, weather, and with entertainment balance and cheap plane fares really limits us to where we have the fests. For instance, maybe Centrailia, Washington has a great cheap Hotel and cheap airfare (and one of you might live there), but in the middle of a desert in central Washington there is nothing to do for entertainment. That is, unless you might find entertainment in tumbleweed rolling races or touring a Nuclear power plant.

We'd like to give at least 8-9 months notice so people can make their plans with taking time off to attend. It will ALWAYS be a long drive/flight for someone. Look at me, I just drove 15 hours solo to Jemfest. Kevan had an 18 hour drive.

Please keep the suggestions coming for locations, and justify why you want Jemfest in your back yard next year.

Keep in mind that mini-fests are always cool too! We have at least 2-3 a year in the Houston area so there's no reason you can't get groups together in your area and just have some fun!

BTW - the centrally located suggestion is one we have been interested in and has been discussed.

Gabe

pri0531 · #12 06-10-2002, 04:55 PM

Gabe:
Even though I have not had the pleasure of attending a jemfest. I appreciate all the hard work everyone puts in. It is good publicity for the guitar world. I will try to be there next year.
Out,
GP

jeffrey · #13 06-10-2002, 05:50 PM

Gabe: I totally hear you, but I'm not suggesting Houston because it's in our backyard. It's centrally located and easy to get to from just about any place in the US.

And airfares to Orlando are not cheap. It would've cost me more then it cost Simon (we compared fares in AIM one night).

Also, Washington was a bad example, that's one of the other two four corners that weren't suggested.

St. Louis is a good idea too imo. So is Denver.

Houston or Dallas would be cool because there's so much to do there (music stores, bars, etc) outside of JF.

littlegreenman · #14 06-10-2002, 06:13 PM

I suggest a central (east west) but a little further north, to make it a little easier for the Canadian Jemmers to get there. But, wherever it is, I will be there next year, well, I pray I will anyway.

jeffrey · #15 06-10-2002, 06:16 PM

Still though, through further thought, unless it were really close this year; like close enough to drive there/back on a Sat/Sun, I wouldn't have made it.

I have too many family obligations and no more vacation time right now.

As well as work killing me. :\

Oh well, maybe I'll have better luck next year.