Yes, I # tagged this because I'm a gear whore. Why else would thousands of average to below average musicians descend upon Fort Wayne, IN in the summer heat? Gearfest is the brainchild of Sweetwater Sound. It's like a mini-NAMM in the midwest. This was my 3rd time. My expectations were low which made the whole thing that much more enjoyable.
The Workshops. Adrian Belew was cool. I was pissed that I forgot to pack my King Crimson and Young Lions CD for an autograph. I used to dig Discipline-era King Crimson because of Robert Fripp's articles in the Musician magazine and the fact that i couldn't in a million years play that stuff!! It was mainly about the gear! I couldn't afford a fuzz pedal much less a Roland Guitar Synth. Thankful, that's all in our reach these days.
Chris Broderick was friendly and cool. Metal isn't my thing, but he hit on the main point that you shouldn't be so intense in your practice that you can't relax and have fun.
Scofield and Erksine were a good soundtrack to a barbeque sandwich. Playfully working in the Bo Diddley riff to their jazzercise. Buddy Millier, Lyle Workman, Butch Walker et al, re-emphasized what all the players with great gear say. "It's in your fingers". That's like the Gearfest equivalent of "love yourself or no one else will love you." It made me go out and buy a theremin. The sound truly is in your hand.