St. Louis Show Question

joe long · Post by **joe long** » 17 May 2011 7:44 am

I have heard starting this year that we have to pay to go down stairs to the vendor's area. Also, no music can be played in the vendor rooms while main room is open. Is this true? I'm not trying to start anything but this information is being circulating around.

Larry Baker · Post by **Larry Baker** » 17 May 2011 1:47 pm

I've been hearing the same information around here as well. I hope this not true. I think it would really hurt the attendance to the convention.

DeWitt Scott · Post by **DeWitt Scott** » 19 May 2011 10:03 am

In reply to the changes at the International Steel Guitar Convention. We will move our registration booths close to the esculator and you must have a badge to go beyond that point. Of couse it is an attempt to get more people to pay that come to the Convention. As far as the distributors rooms there will be no change and they will be able to continue on as in the past. It is true that you must purchase a badge to enter those rooms. As far as hurting the attendance how can that hurt? The poeple that came only to go into the distributors rooms never purchased a badge and never entered the main ballroom anyway. A one day badge is only $35.00 and it will allow you acess to the main ballroom and the distributors rooms. A two day badge is at a discount price of $60.00. Scotty

Herby Wallace · Post by **Herby Wallace** » 19 May 2011 3:19 pm

I agree with Scotty on this 100% as I have known people in the past who were too cheap to buy a ticket and just went to the jams in the side rooms and never came into the main hall at all. Scotty has spent a lifetime and great expense to put on this great convention and we all need to help support his hard work and efforts with this.

Herby Wallace

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 19 May 2011 3:48 pm

I too support Scotty wholeheartedly on his decision. This is a convention; it is not a "free party" for the weekend. If you go to just about any other type of convention (manufacturing, electronics, cars, whatever), there is always an admission fee to get onto the premises to see all the exhibits, meet the distributors, gather with colleagues, etc. And people gladly pay it because it is what makes it all possible to have the convention. Sure, you don't have to go into the main stage ballroom, if you don't want to, but you should definitely pay something for the privilege of hanging out all weekend in the hallways and side-rooms, seeing a lot of the exhibits, trying out new brands of guitars that you'll never encounter where you live, meeting and hearing all kinds of players (including many of the 'name' players from the main stage who may take a spin in one of the side rooms), etc. This all doesn't come free folks, and so we shouldn't either. If you want to see the convention continue, ya gotta support it, financially. The era of freeloading has (wisely) ended.

Bill Dobkins · Post by **Bill Dobkins** » 19 May 2011 5:22 pm

This is Scottys call so like or stay home.
Personally I agree that very few shows you go to is free anymore. It has always bothered me that you had to pay to get in the ballroom to see the vendors, this is the answer....IMHO

Doug Rolfe · Post by **Doug Rolfe** » 20 May 2011 5:58 am

After promoting a gospel steel show for 16 years, it is my humble opinion that Scotty should have been doing this all along. For our small venue, I counted on several occasions that 40% or more of the people who came did not pay to get in. We had expenses that needed to be met and an overhead that was fixed so if we didn't get the money at the door, then it came out of my pocket. I'm glad that Scotty is finally going to handle this by having people paying to see the show or side venues. That's just my two cents worth.

joe long · Post by **joe long** » 20 May 2011 6:14 am

Thank you Scotty for the reply.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 20 May 2011 11:25 am

I always stock up on George L's strings at the Convention (I buy them by the dozen).

One year I was traveling east for a visit in Pa and then on to Baltimore for a conference, the Tuesday after Labor Day, and only stopped long enough to go to the George L's booth just outside the main ballroom, buy the strings and then back on the road.

If the policy that is going to be implemented stating this year was in force then, it would have precluded me from buying the strings.

But, I have no problems with the way Scotty is going to do it this year. I used to live in Kansas City, Mo and have been going to the conventions since they were at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel. From 1978 to 1997 I only missed one and that was the time I mentioned about stopping for strings.

Larry Baker · Post by **Larry Baker** » 20 May 2011 3:51 pm

O.K. I will rephrase from my first comment. I too have been going to the convention for over 30 years. EVERY year, and have paid every year. I have never had a problem with that, and still don't. My reference was for some one who comes just to make a purchase I.E. Steel, amp, accessories, picks, or whatever. Just my 2 cents, I don't think most people will want to come and pay to get in to go shopping. I'm done, hope to see all of you in St. Louis this year, I already have my reservations for the entire weekend. Larry

Herby Wallace · Post by **Herby Wallace** » 20 May 2011 5:41 pm

Well, like Jim Cohen mentioned, all other types of shows and conventions charge an admission, so there should be no difference. I collect model trains as a hobby and I have been to many train shows all over the country and have to pay an admission to everyone I have been to and they are just tables of vendors selling products and the vendors pay for their booths, but you can't get in the front door without paying. I have been in the same situations at musical instrument and electronic trade shows and always had to pay. I just am saying this as we should all support Scotty as he has done so much to promote steel guitar. I have done steel guitar shows for over 34 years full time in the US, Canada and Europe and it all started from me playing St. Louis in 1978, so I am very aware of what Scotty did to help me and I want to see this great show continue for many years to come.

Herby Wallace

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 20 May 2011 7:57 pm

Larry Baker wrote: I don't think most people will want to come and pay to get in to go shopping.

Well, they certainly do every year at the NAMM show. And at all the vintage instrument shows around the country, etc., etc. People pay specifically to get in to go shopping. Same difference.

Tom Pickett Jr · Post by **Tom Pickett Jr** » 20 May 2011 8:55 pm

there is no other show like it...lot of imatators

impersonators, but nothing like the experiance of scotty's. my father and i have been going for over 30yrs and we're steel nuts....if they knew we were drummers they might charge us double.
keep up the good work. see ya there.

Lefty Schrage · Post by **Lefty Schrage** » 30 May 2011 8:48 pm

Hey Scotty!
Great decision to make everyone pay including those who frequent the 'side' rooms. See you Labor Day weekend!
...lefty

JERRY THURMOND · Post by **JERRY THURMOND** » 31 May 2011 4:57 am

I think this is a good idea, why would any one of us not want to support any steel show.

Jerry

Darrell Owens · Post by **Darrell Owens** » 1 Jun 2011 3:57 pm

I understand the answer and the reason for the first part of the question; however, the second part of the question was not addresed:

Also, no music can be played in the vendor rooms while main room is open.

Does this mean that the vendors are not allowed to have the "mini-concerts" in the vendor rooms?

Gary Lee Gimble · Post by **Gary Lee Gimble** » 2 Jun 2011 1:38 am

Darrell, Scotty wrote in his post on Thur May 19,

As far as the distributors rooms there will be no change and they will be able to continue on as in the past.

Darrell, if you need further assistance, his post time was @10:03 AM

Ray Harrison · Post by **Ray Harrison** » 2 Jun 2011 9:49 am

In the past, Scotty has encouraged the side rooms to stop their music during the HOF ceremony and the show on Fri and Sat nite that features a special guest. This is just to maximize the attendance to the two events.

JB Arnold · Post by **JB Arnold** » 26 Jun 2011 1:21 pm

Pretty standard policy everywhere-surprised it hasnt always been this way.

JB

Roger Edgington · Post by **Roger Edgington** » 1 Jul 2011 12:53 pm

I've already paid for friday and saturday. Looking forward to it.

Nic du Toit · Post by **Nic du Toit** » 5 Jul 2011 12:45 pm

Hey Roger, Got sorted with a room, yet!??

Roger Edgington · Post by **Roger Edgington** » 5 Jul 2011 1:55 pm

Hey Nic. Judy will be going with me this year. I hope she gets to meet you. I told her about the good time we had rooming together.

Nic du Toit · Post by **Nic du Toit** » 5 Jul 2011 2:08 pm

I would have loved to meet the recipient of those late night calls !!....

Unfortunately the studio is book for a double album session for the month of August..... So, I'll have to aim for next year.

Do have a great time.... you always do, though!
Regards,
Nic

Dennis Detweiler · Post by **Dennis Detweiler** » 5 Jul 2011 6:42 pm

Financially support these shows if you want them to continue.

John Haspert · Post by **John Haspert** » 6 Jul 2011 7:44 am

I too have been attending for many, many years. We buy the multi-day badges whether we are there for 1 day or all. We can't thank Scotty, Mary and the family enough for all they do to support the Steel Guitar Community. So it is always a pleasure to "Pony-up" and see the best that the Steel Community has to offer. If we could get Buddy and Lloyd in....I'd gladly pay double, maybe more. Just my 2 cents

The Steel Guitar Forum

St. Louis Show Question

St. Louis Show Question

St. Louis

Convention

Convention

scotty's

Convention

Isgc- 2011