Beyer
Hawthfest
Since 2017, my friends and I have thrown an annual neighborhood block party in the cul-de-sac of Hawthorne Street, which we’ve called Hawthfest. Initially, we just wanted to play music in a live setting amongst our friends, but over the years, it has grown to include multiple bands, a DJ, and many more microphones. With the help of a crew of friends, we build a stage, run our own sound, set up lighting, and supply free food and beer.
Performance Reel
This video reel highlights some of my performances over the years. In the last clip, you’ll see and hear me playing on a DIY talkbox that I made. It consists of a small amp hooked up to a horn speaker from a bass cabinet. I run my korg minilogue through the speaker, usually with a sawtooth patch for maximum overtones, and then through a tube into my mouth to shape the sound and “talk” with my synth.
Every year, the audio setup for Hawthfest gets a little bit more sophisticated and louder. I run sound through a Mackie 24 channel mixer and output separate mains and monitor mixes. My goal for next year is to use a stage snake cable to have a proper front of house mixing station behind the crowd instead of beside the stage. Our current setup is difficult to mix; after making adjustments, I have to run out into the crowd to listen to the change. Centering the FOH booth will make mixing much smoother and allow for immediate feedback to adjustments.
