Keyboard – Organ Festival Blackpool UK. Although this festival was basically a repeat of the Festival we attended a few weeks ago at Caister Norfolk UK, there were a number of different products and concert performers. The week’s format was free music theory lessons, keyboards around from various manufactures to enable a hands on without a sales person hovering over you, and excellent evening concerts from keyboard artists from UK. USA. Holland. & Germany.
KETRON. I had more of an opportunity this time to spend time with the SD1. I was very impressed with its voice samples and general ease of use of changing things on the fly whilst playing. Unfortunately this product is poorly represented with very few retail stockists in the UK. If it had a more aggressive distributor, plus one of the demonstrators from either Korg. Roland or Yamaha this product would sell well. Show price SD1 £2400 with Hard Drive. XD9 was on display at £1400.
FARFISA. Keyboards were a new addition, but looked dated like older Casio models re-badged.
THOMAS. Organs, another new addition. 4 models with the top model using the old operating system from the early Wersi Performer.
YAMAHA. As usual, highly motivated staff giving very good product user clinics on the 9000PRO, PSR2000 & CVP209. Peter Baartmans from Holland evening concert on (Yamaha CVP207) was a first for me and I would very much like to see more of this mans talent. After the concert Peter joined the Yamaha lads in a jam session in the Queen Vic pub.
KORG. John Pacey was giving very nice jazz renditions with PA80 in left hand and CX1 Drawbar Keyboard on the right hand.
ORLA. Organs. The GT5000 with its portable version the GT3000 were I thought very sweet performers. There is a new single keyboard which is basically the top half of the GT3000. All models, very easy to switch on and play, although the programmability is there if you need to alter things via registrations to your liking.
Interestingly although Yamaha & Technics have almost stopped Organ manufacture. ORLA. ROLAND & WERSI are adding new models.
TECHNICS. Not much activity on this stand, possibly everyone is waiting for the KN7000 which I was told will be in the retailers by August in the UK.
Blackpool Tower Ballroom. An afternoon was arranged for us to visit the famous Blackpool Tower where we were treated to Brain Sharp, Howard Beaumont, Chris Powell, Doreen Chadwick & John Bowdler all playing the Tower Wurlitzer. I am not a Theatre Organ fan, but the experience was a day to remember. The Ballroom is acoustically brilliant with fantastic carvings with sculptured ceiling and walls. The new sound system is clean and powerful.
The Wersi Louvre model has now been purchased by the Tower and is proudly sitting aside the Wurlitzer. A great week despite a rainy & windy Blackpool.
Graham UK
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