Re: [CR] San Diego Show Relevations?

John,

The first announcement is that the SD Show will be the "International Framebuilders, Exposition" next year. Same time and same location (but in a larger building). There will be more hands on demonstrations related to framebuilding skills and techniques and frame fitting. We are working on signing on a publicity agent who will handle the job of spreading the news of the show. We are also working on getting some of the best Asian custom builders to join us here. We're pretty sure some big Italian names will appear next year, a deal that has been brewing for a while. Also some of the smaller European custom builders are working on coming to America to see in person what the renaissance of lugged steel framebuilding looks like up close.

The party that has been at Joe Bells' workshop for the last two years is going to be at my new workshop and (by then) newly renovated house. We are also reforming the MotherFluxers, a framebuilder composite band, that is planning a return performance sometime during the show weekend. The members are Paul Sadhoff from Rock Lobster on guitar, Stephen Bilenky on electric bass, Jon Norstand of Thursday Bicycles on lead vocals and saxophone, Ross Schafer ( founder of, and formerly Salsa Cycles) on guitar and vocals (unconfirmed but likely at this time), and myself on drums. If we do this, it's going to be a good show.

The final announcement is that an organization whose purpose is to promote framebuilding and framebuilders in every possible way, and to as much of the general public as possible AND to insure that the highest level of skills and traditions of the craft are passed on to the next generation of framebuilders. This group is the Independent Framebuilders Guild. Information on how to support this effort is at http://www.Framebuildersguild.org. This is a traditional type guild and entry is open to pretty much everyone, in various degrees. One of the first projects slated for the organization is to begin the documentation of the History of Framebuilding in America. That's a HUGE project at it will require the contributions of many people; I'm certain many of whom are on this list.

So that's about it.

Brian Baylis La Mesa, CA International Framebuilders Exposition in San Diego, 2011