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Cody Clark
The hills of Spanish Fork will be alive with the sound of music on Saturday. Not just any sound, however -- we're talking about the silky smooth, rich, resonant sound that you can only get from a top-quality, old-school tube amp, or amplifier, used to crank up the sound on your guitar or bass.
The good vibrations will be emanating from the Boothe Brothers Performing Arts Center on Main Street in Spanish Fork, where aficionados of amplification will be gathered for the third annual Amp Sho', hosted by Utah Blues.
Amp builder/refurbisher Mike Christensen said that old-style tube amps, which were phased out and replaced in the early 1970s by solid state amps, are prized because of their sensitivity and sound quality.
"Tube amplifiers are very responsive to the attack" of an individual player, said Christensen. "They have a personality all their own."
Tube amps are making a comeback, but there also are plenty of them that never went away. As Christensen put it, "I would say it's easy to get 50 or 60 years out of a well-built amplifier."
Christensen and other amp adulators will have the opportunity to browse what's sort of a combination antique show and auction. Both vintage and new amps will be everywhere. Some are just being displayed, but others will be for sale. There will be sound demos throughout the day, and the opportunity for amp geeks to trade tips and swap spare parts.
The daytime and early evening portion of the Amp Sho', from noon until 8 p.m., is free and open to the public. After 8 p.m., there's a charge to hang around and hear Rock Daddy, one of Utah's premier blues acts, featuring local axeman Michael Spencer.
Spencer is "almost a local legend," said Amp Sho' organizer Curt Gordon. "He's been playing in local bands since the early '70s."
It's not just Spencer's longevity that's legendary. Gordon, 31, said that Spencer can really play.
"It would be as if you were in a room with Keith Richards," Gordon said, "or Eric Clapton. Stevie Ray Vaughn."
Gordon said that Utah has a thriving blues scene. Utah Blues's Blues Jam has been held every month, he said, except for one or two, since December 1999. Gordon said there are lots of local blues players, and that Brigham Young University and Utah Valley State College both bring in aficionados from out of state.
Playing the blues is fun, he said, but also challenging. "It's total improv," Gordon said. "It's really kind of a good exfoliating process for musicians."
Gordon said that between 100 and 200 people have attended past Amp Sho' events, and he expects a comparable turnout on Saturday.
Ifyougo
Amp Sho'
What: An exhibition of rare amplifiers and other musical equipment, with sound demonstrations and other events
When: Saturday, noon to 11 p.m.
Where: Boothe Brothers Performing Arts Center, 165 N. Main St., Spanish Fork
Cost: Main event is free; $5 to see Rock Daddy show that starts at 8 p.m.
Info: www.utahblues.com, 798-7650 |
