Special Report: Musikmesse 2008
Pages: 1, 2, 3, 4

The Top Three Messe Performances

Think of Steve Jobs what you may, but the man's right when he claims that "It's all about the music."

The gear you get to see at Musikmesse each year is fascinating, some of it truly mindblowing. But what it really comes down to is what artists create with all that technology. My personal top-three for 2008 were a bad-ass groovin' studio musician combo, a teenage prog-rock cover band, and a keyboarder who masterfully interpreted a Piazzolla piece on a masterfully crafted synth.

#3: Studio Musicians Extraordinaires

PreSonus had the best in-booth jam session band at Musikmesse 2008. Period!

To demonstrate its audio recording hardware, the folks at PreSonus presented a little daily concert at 5pm, one hour before the show floor closed, and the musicians were great, as was the music they played. With Lydia from Holland on bass and vocals, Alvin (?) from Frankfurt on bass, John from Baton Rouge on guitar, and David Haynes on beat box, the band performed a fine selection of funky tunes like Chaka Khan's "Tell Me Something Good" and Prince's "Kiss."

This band's sessions were the perfect opportunity to wind down at the end of an exhausting day at Messe, tapping your foot to the rhythm and realizing again why you're in music in the first place.

Unfortunately, PreSonus did not give out any more information on the musicians (if you do recognize them, please leave a comment below). And, although all sessions were recorded, I could not find any of them on the PreSonus website.

#2: Awake

German Dream Theater tribute band "Awake" lit up the stage.

It wasn't too long ago that I rediscovered my interest in hard rock after focusing solely on jazz and fusion for a while, and one of the bands I most enjoy listening to — both for their playing skills and for the music they write — is Dream Theater. Some of their playing, especially the high-speed unison lines between John Petrucci on guitar and Jordan Rudess on keys, is pretty darn impressive. Enter "Awake."

This German Dream Theater tribute band is comprised of musicians between the ages of 17 and 21, and the musical prowess they demonstrated onstage at Messe was jaw-dropping. Thanks to a receptive audience, this was one of the few sessions that made for a true concert experience. I hope that these guys will see the bright musical future they deserve.

If you like prog-rock a la DT, do have a go at the media files on their website. And if you don't, check them out anyway just to see how talented these guys are.

#1: Adam Holzman

Minimoog Voyager, Minimoog Voyager OS, and Little Phatty, all surrendering to the fine playing by Adam Holzman.

On the morning of my last day at Messe, I skipped breakfast at the hotel and just grabbed a bite and a coffee at a food stall in the aptly named hall 5.1, where most of the electronic keyboards, recording software, and, unfortunately, DJ electronics like turntables and mixers were shown this year. The ensuing cacophony makes for an interesting wake-up call, so I was quite touched when I realized that a beautiful melody played with a rich, lush sound managed to cut through all that 140+ BPM looped noise and pleasantly caress my ears. The substantial, organic tone somehow pushed all those other sound waves aside, dividing the sound carpet in the hall like Moses divided the Red Sea.

I realized that I had heard that melody before, and, sure enough, it was that moving piece by Astor Piazzolla that Adam Holzman had so masterfully played the day before. This experience, to me, was further proof that there is something one-of-a-kind about a Moog synth: there is an organic quality in a Moog's sound that no other electronic instrument has. And Adam Holzman, who demoed at the Moog booth for the first time this year, knew how to tap into that "organicity" to truly make the instruments shine. Thanks, Adam!

www.adamholzman.com

Don't Messe with Success

So, there you have it: the lasting impressions I took home with me from Musikmesse 2008 in some 4,000 words. Just 11.5 more months until next year's Messe. Can't wait!

Been to Musikmesse, too? Found more noteworthy stuff there? Then please share: comments are open below.