The Guitar Channel

Photos and Mini-Review: OHM & Polcat - Live at Alva's 1/20/12

One of the highlights of my recent NAMM trip was seeing the double bill of OHM and Polcat  - which both feature Chris Poland on guitar - at Alva's in San Pedro CA on Friday, January 20th. Though I've seen OHM several times, I was particularly interested in this gig as it was my first time seeing the band with drummer David Eagle, who was really great. The band was ferocious as always; super intense from start to finish. Bassist Robert 'Pag' Pagliari also had a fantastic solo spot, and Poland's playing and killer tones seem to get better every time I see him.

Second on the bill was the first-ever live performace by Polcat, which made it a real treat to see. Their debut album should be released soon (you can pre-order and listen to samples here), and I can tell you the material is way-cool. Led by Poland and sax phenom Frank Catalano, Polcat's music is a funky mix of jazz and rock that reminded me at times of the legendary New York fusion band Lost Tribe. I was very curious to see how Poland would fit in with a band like this, and came away with the impression that his input is the 'secret sauce' that gives the group it's unique vibe, or at least contributes greatly to it. Poland's quirky, often 'outside,' harmonic sense lends a distinctive sound to the band that it wouldn't have with any other guitarist. Polcat also features bassist Sean O'Bryan Smith and drummer Jim Gifford - both monster players. I was seriously digging O'Bryan's flanged tone and Gifford's work on such a minimal kit. Can't wait to hear the album. Follow the link below for my photos from this great night.

Photos: OHM & Polcat - Live at Alva's 1/20/12

 

UPDATE: The Polcat album is currently available through iTunes.

Winter NAMM 2012: Final Wrap-Up

Day Three, Saturday, was my final day at NAMM this year. It's also the day I saw what proved to be my favorite gear of the entire show - the Yamaha THR stereo practice amps. Rated at 10watts, the THRs utilize amp-modeling and built-in effects to generate a wide variety of tones that all sound awesome. The two models, the THR5 and THR10, are essentially the same, though the THR10 offers a few more amp models and the ability the save up to 5 user presets. I played through one of the THR10s with a Yamaha SBG, and was blown away by the thick, tube-like tone, and the validity of the built-in effects. Other features include a USB post, and bundled Cubase software for home recording. Plus, they just look cool. Pricing appears to be in the $300-$500 range. I think I need to have one.

Saturday was also loaded with numerous celebrities and monster players. Allan Holdsworth, Joe Satriani,  Steve Morse and many other big-name musicians made appearances, causing foot-traffic jams at nearly every turn. I had a great time watching Dean Brown play at the MI booth, Matt Garrison jamming with Hadrian Feraud, Carl Verheyen and Steve Trovato tearing it up at LSL, and several other on-floor performances. I also met one of my fusion heros, violin legend Jerry Goodman (he looks ornery in the picture I took, but he couldn't have been a nicer guy).

Saturday night I was lucky enough to attend the epic Ernie Ball 50th Anniversary party - an amazing way to cap off a great trip (more on this all-star event later). All-in-all, it was another fantastic NAMM show packed with cool gear and incredible players. Look for my full photo gallery soon.

More pics from NAMM 2012:

Winter NAMM 2012: Day Two

Things seriously picked up on day two of the 2012 Winter NAMM show. More attendees, more celebs, more everything it seemed. Tons of great players made appeances, including Guthrie Govan, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, and others. On the gear front, I saw lots of interesting stuff, but was particularly taken with the boutique stomp box company Jam Pedals. Based out of Athens Greece, all of their pedals are analog, hand made and hand painted, with some of the most unique designs I've ever seen - no two pedals look exactly alike. And they sound great too; from the demos I heard, the Delay Llama really stood out, as did the Rattler distortion box. Very cool stuff.

New for 2012, the Ibanez AM73B was my favorite guitar of the day. It plays like a dream, and the flat red and tobacco finishes both look great. Plus, this thing is a steal at only $523 retail. Looks like a really cool choice for a not-quite-straight-ahead jazz guitar.

After a long day at the show, I headed to Alva's in San Pedro to see OHM and Polcat. Both sets were fantastic; look for a separate post with pics later. On to day three!

More pics from NAMM 2012 Day Two:

Winter NAMM 2012: Day One

I'm getting ready to tackle day two of the 2012 Winter NAMM show, but before I do, here is some of the coolest stuff I saw on day one. Carvin recently announced their new line of Allan Holdsworth HH Series guitars, and these were easily some of the best instruments I saw all day. These things feel rock solid, yet are surprisingly light due to their chambered, semi-hollow bodies. The set-necks are super smooth, making for easy access to the upper frets. The Carvin rep told me that Holdsworth came down to the factory the day the first prototype was complete, and loved it so much he took it home and used it exclusively on his next string of live dates. FYI - The man himself is scheduled to appear at the Carvin booth on Saturday.

I also found the EVH Wolfgang line to be quite impressive. The Wolfgang Custom model I tried out was built like an absolute tank. In contrast to the Holdsworth Carvins, this thing weighed a metric ton, and had a similar feel to a Yamaha SBG IMO. The guitar has a loud sound that projects when you play it unplugged; a good sign. Definitely a rock-solid axe.

The Orange OPC has been around awhile, but I checked one out yesterday for the first time and was really blown away. This cool piece of gear is essentially a computer and amp rolled into one unit. It's loaded with amp modeling and multi-track recording software, a DVD burner, USB and video outputs, the works. It can be used as regular amp if you like, though all of the sounds are produced through the amp emulation settings, courtesy of the built-in AmpliTube 3 application. Easily one of the hippest home studio solutions I've yet seen.

More pics from NAMM 2012 Day One:

 

Heading to NAMM

I'm leaving for the 2012 Winter NAMM show today. I'll be there for the first three days checking out as much cool gear as possible, and taking in some of the great gigs around town. Updates and pics will be posted here on the site, and also through my Twitter feed and The Guitar Channel Facebook page. Stay tuned!

The Guitar Channel Winter NAMM 2012 Gig Guide

The 2012 Winter NAMM show is coming up next month. I'll be there for the first few days checking out the gear and posting updates on these very pages. Per usual, there will be tons of great guitar gigs taking place in So Cal during NAMM week. As I did last year, I've put together a list of shows that may be of interest to Guitar Channel readers. This list is a 'living document,' if you will, which I'll continue to update as the show draws closer. Follow the link below for the Winter NAMM 2012 Guitar Channel Gig Guide.

Winter NAMM 2012 - The Guitar Channel Gig Guide

Video: Carl Verheyen Demos His Dean Markley "Balanced Bridge" Helix HD Strings

Premier Guitar talks with Carl Verheyen at the Summer 2011 NAMM Show.

NAMM Video: Steve Morse and Dave LaRue @ Ernie Ball "On The Pipe"

Another cool video of Steve Morse and Dave LaRue demoing the Ernie Ball Game Changer at the 2011 Winter NAMM show. This is "On The Pipe." Thanks to GuitarPlanet.com.au for these great clips.

NAMM Video: Steve Morse and Dave LaRue @ Ernie Ball "Simple Simon"

Steve Morse and Dave LaRue demoing the new Ernie Ball Game Changer technology at the 2011 Winter NAMM show. This is the Steve Morse Band classic "Simple Simon."

NAMM Videos: Chris Poland and Pag at Eminence

Saw these on Truth In Shredding: Three clips of Chris Poland and Pag jamming At the Eminence booth at NAMM.

Sitting on top of the world

Jam

Where's My Hat

NAMM Videos: Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats

Three videos of the Bombastic Meatbats during this year's winter NAMM show. With Chad Smith on drums, Jeff Kollman on guitar, Ed Roth on keys and Kevin Chown on bass. The last clip is a cool soundcheck video featuring bassist Tim Lefebvre sitting in.

Sabian Live 2011 NAMM Party - "Passing The Ace"

QSC NAMM 2011 Party soundcheck - "Tops Off"

Sabian Live 2011 NAMM Party soundcheck with Tim Lefebvre on bass

Winter NAMM 2011: Full Photo Gallery

Here is my full gallery of photos from the 2011 Winter NAMM show.

Photo Gallery: 2011 Winter NAMM Show