On September 26 and 27, an event of real significance took place. It was striking both in terms of instruments and sound for musicians and on a musical level, thanks to its live demonstrations featuring great musicians.
The Adagio + Nueva Letusa group put on an impressive display to show the latest products that currently make up its portfolio of brands. The event was held at La Quinta del Jarama, Madrid. A perfect venue for this kind of gathering. Of course, everything was taken care of down to the last detail and set up so you could enjoy every nuance of the show. ISP Música magazine was there to bear witness to what happened.
The event
As soon as we entered the estate and walked past some gardens, we stepped into a large space where all the booths were located. The entrance was from the upper floor. That let us take a quick look around and plot a route in advance through the most eye-catching exhibits. The space was divided into two areas.
Crossing the venue, we found ourselves in a garden fitted out with a stage and seating so we could enjoy the concerts/demos that took place intermittently over both days. But this wasn't the only stage; there was another one in the north area where seminars and demonstrations were also held.
The rhythm of those days was very entertaining, since the concerts and demos followed one another very smoothly, and during the breaks you could go and try out all the gear on display. Having two stages outside was a great complement to the rest of the performances held at the booths themselves.
Which brands and which products?
Vox & Ampeg
Everyone knows these two brands: the first in the guitar world and the second in the bass universe.
Vox presented its complete amplifier range, from its classic AC30 to the AC15, as well as the AC4, which is hand-wired and represents the Top Boost channel of an AC30. The VX I and VX II, very manageable amplifiers for practicing at home without going crazy with the volume. The AV range, with the 15 and the 30, very attractive in both looks and sound. And several more small amplifiers from more affordable ranges. Ampeg arrived showing us several classics that have always been leading players in rehearsal spaces, concerts, recordings, plug-ins, etc. Who hasn't seen the Heritage model or a Classic? Well, there they were with their famous "bathtub" cabinets full of rock. We could also hear the SVT 3, another great classic for any situation. The PortaFlex and the BA Series, aimed at needs that call for more portability.
D'Addario
When we think of strings for any instrument that uses them, the first word that comes to mind is D´Addario. At the booth they had everything to meet any string-related need. Two major lines: guitars and orchestra. In the first case, every kind of gauge and combination. Worth highlighting is the new NY XL family, highly recommended. On the other side, we had violin, viola, cello, etc., everything for the noble instruments. Planet Waves also lives within this portfolio with a large catalog of high-quality accessories. Highlights include the new tuner, cables in every length, straps, soundhole covers for acoustics, capos, picks, etc.
Eko
The acoustic, electric and classical guitar brand was at the event with a large and easily accessible display. I was able to try any guitar I wanted at any time. In terms of electrics, you could try a Les Paul®-style model and a Telecaster®-style one. In acoustics we had the NXT, TRI and DUO series, etc.
Blackstar
This is an amplifier brand that has been in the spotlight for some years now. Bear in mind that its beginnings were very close to the Marshall sound, where the most rock-oriented tones are represented. The volume and attack were very recognizable. The British brand then began to explore other, softer territory. With a defiant image and always a very strong British character, they showed us old acquaintances and a few new players on the scene. Models like the Artisan 100, a clear heir to Marshall's more than legendary Plexis. 100 W of pure rock, so keep a good pair of earplugs handy. Its distant cousin, the Series 104, which lets you choose between EL34 or 6L6 options, in other words more British or more American. Four channels and every combination you need to spend a good afternoon with EQ, gain, loops, MIDI, etc. Not to be missed at this gathering of the most authentic rock was the HT Metal which, as its name suggests, isn't really designed for playing those romantic ballads, but rather for blasting out demonic riffs.
Mids everywhere, gain to make it saturate with any guitar, and volume to knock down walls. All this seasoned with a good arsenal of 4x12 cabinets, combo versions and home models of each series.
Orange
Another amplifier brand that in recent years has taken a leap forward in development, popularity and market position. One to keep a close eye on. Orange amplifiers have always been strongly associated with the world of rock. Who doesn't remember Black Sabbath with those Orange stacks? Today they rub shoulders with artists such as Glenn Hughes, Jim Root, so highly regarded for his band Slipknot, Keenan, whom I've personally always liked, him and his band Corrosion of Conformity, Andreas of Sepultura, etc.
As you can see, it's all closely tied to rock and beyond. One of the objects of desire at the exhibition was a 10th Anniversary Tiny Terror, hand-wired point to point, in a very attractive greenish color, and with a sound clearly different from the others. Other Tiny models we saw were the Jim Root, the Micro, the Dual and the Dark. Also the Dual Darks, much bigger than the Tiny lunch boxes, but delivering a lot more power and attack. Available in 50 or 100 W. The Rockerverb MKIII range, 100 W only, and the MKII. These offer lots of conveniences, from reverb control to attenuator control (100, 70, 50, 30), and they also come with an effects loop.
In the bass world we also found several very interesting models, such as the AD series, the 4 Stroke and the OB1. The AD series still keeps the classic look that Orange made popular. The rest are more modern options with a commitment to the rack world.
But one of the things I found most interesting was what Orange showed us in the world of pedals. The Amp Detonator is an active A/B box that lets you select what you actually connect. The Bax Bangeetar is a preamp/EQ in pedal format to get the full Orange sound on any platform. And the Two Stroke, which is a boost with EQ. An attractive range to have under your feet.
Zoom
This brand of pedals, effects, recorders, etc. invited us to discover its new products firmly rooted in the 21st century. Concepts such as Bluetooth, modeling, etc. are part of everyday life for any user of Zoom's latest generation.
Where are they right now? Within the most technological perspective possible. Its spearhead is the G5 pedalboard: a multi-effects unit in pedal format with four stomp switches and an expression pedal. Within the system you can emulate amplifiers and pedals from every era. The MS 50, 100 and 70, for guitar or bass, were also on hand. With your smartphone you can load new pedal emulations and download them directly to the MS. We also saw the G1 and B1 multi-effects in all their variants, a more compact proposition than the MS.
In parallel, and under this brand, we took a look at the audio, recording and production side. Audio interfaces: the TAC-8 with 8 inputs, which already feature a Thunderbolt connection. Its little sister, the TAC-2R, is similar but with only 2 inputs. Its first cousin, the UAC-2, communicates over USB 3.0; and the U-24 is a 2-input interface that is perfectly manageable and portable.
PRS Guitars
What can you say about PRS guitars? They can handle any terrain. From Santana to Alter Bridge. From pop to metal, by way of fusion. In their catalog I found, among others, the Custom 22, a classic, and the new McCarty 594, which represents the union of the vintage world (in looks and sound) with the ergonomics and playing comfort provided by the neck. It has a curvature that varies depending on the part of the neck you're playing on.
Then there's the SC245, with a vintage look and a single cutaway. Or the P22, the P245, the Paul's, etc. All of them are members of a more than attractive catalog.
Throughout the convention we found many more booths from all kinds of brands that Grupo Adagio, now also with Nueva Letusa, covers in its powerful lineup: TREX, NORD, JOYO, CASIO, HOHNER, WASHBURN, etc.
Product demos and performances
As I said at the beginning of this article, the outdoor performances, on top of the demos at the booths themselves, made the day extremely enjoyable and smooth-flowing.
Among the artists I was able to see while I was there were:
- Dani Gómez. A professional guitarist with a long career and a spectacular command of the language of rock and its sounds. He did the Orange demonstration, among other brands, which he used in the demo itself. He told us about the Rockerverb, the Micro Dark and the history of the company.
- Nazzareno Zacconi. An Italian guitarist with an extraordinary ease on the acoustic. He gave a demonstration of José Torres guitars, which, by the way, sounded spectacular.
- Basilio Martí. A keyboardist with an uncommon talent, both for accompanying artists and for composing his own works. His style moves between jazz, funk and fusion, but with a modern, thoroughly appealing touch. Accompanying him in the performance was Mayte Pizarro, with her spectacular voice and melodic ideas both for delivering the main melody and for improvising. Javier Santana and Jorge Santana, as solid a bassist and drummer as you'll find, but with fresh and inspiring ideas. I can't find better words to describe a rhythm section.
Many other performances took place over the two days, including those by Javier Sánchez, Nanuel Hagelstrom, José Luis Chaure, David Palau, Luis Puente, Alex Matin, José Agustín Guere, etc.
In summary
I would conclude that we attended an event to be truly grateful for. Thanks go both to the people in charge of running the event on the front lines and to the management that designed it and carried it out. An effort that's unusual in times like these, led by the group that has grown the strongest over the last five years in the musical instrument sector: Grupo Adagio
