Larry Mitchell Live - 2016 AX8 NAMM Jam \m/

X-Mann

Experienced
X's 2016 NAMM Story Time:

Larry Mitchell owned the stage on Thursday (1/21/16) at the 2016 Winter NAMM show!

Being new to Larry's work (& Fractal audio), I wasn't sure what to expect. I wanted to hear Larry play the AX8 live & I was literally knocked-out by everything he did that night. The tones Larry created & used were just big, bold, beautiful & everything I never knew I always wanted in a modeling unit! :D



So.....Larry's an unbelievable talent & we'll get to that in a little bit......

He lights up the stage w/ his smile, black cowboy hat & lots of movement, but that's not all.....he engages the audience & brings them into the show. The crowd was way into it & Larry made eye contact with around 500+ people!

Larry is using a fans finger to play slide on his guitar & the crowd just ate it up!


So, how did the AX8 sound live? I was actually shocked at how amp like it sounded & how big it sounded! Larry only used the AX8 & had a very small floor monitor. The PA was a nice one & he played in stereo to great affect. The sound engineer had a cool wireless tablet & walked around the entire room to mix & make this just perfect.

Oh....& Larry's was mixed LOUD in a very good way too! His main tone was very Marshall like & felt great. He used wah, wah & just the right amount of delay. He played his own signature licks & a few places sounded like Eric Johnson to me. There was also a clean intro on a song w/ some delay that showed me a totally different side of the AX8 as well.

Larry's AX8 set-up was small & compact.


I was SO impressed with what I heard out of the AX8 & not just tone wise, but the FX too. The real shocker to me came in the form that Larry didn't bring his own FRFR system or cabs & was playing very loud & just crystal clear.

I've never seen a better ambassador to a product or company before & Larry Mitchell is Fractal Audio (insert best Golf Clap here)!


Larry let a lot of different friends & stars join him on stage that evening. One of my favorite guitar players growing up was standing 2-people down from me the entire show too. Mr Vernon Reid from Living Color got to do a little jamming that evening & it was awesome to hear some "Little Wing" from him.


Larry, "Thank you" for a wonderful evening of music & a NAMM memory that I will never forget!

Peace! X-Mann

Note:
I bought 2-Friedman ASM-12's thinking that I would need them & after watching this......I realized that I probably didn't need to spend this extra $1,500 on these at all. lol

As I've been waiting for my AX8 invite I keep asking myself "Is it really worth the wait for this unit?".........& the answer is "YES, YES, YES & again, YES!!!!!".
 
Last edited:
Here's Larrys opening song & how the evening started out.....

His solo tone & playing was just fantastic & showed me everything that the AX8 can do & more.

I'll try to post a few more videos later, but just trust me, it sounded EPIC!!! \m/

Here's a few short examples from my XMANNROCKS Instagram page where you can hear Larrys solo tone.


& here's Larry channeling his inner Eric Johnson w/ an amazing clean AX8 preset.


The 2016 Winter NAMM show was an amazing adventure this year & I was very lucky to be able to go again. I don't want to derail my own thread or take the focus off of Larry & the AX8, but here's a link to my NAMM trip as seen through the eyes of a Kiesel/Carvin guitar user/endorser.

http://www.carvinbbs.com/viewtopic.php?t=46865

My only regret about this years NAMM trip is not getting to meet & talk w/ Larry. I've met & talked w/ him the past 2-trips, but had much more to say this time around.

Again Larry, your concert & playing really made my trip a special one!

Have a great week everyone & Peace! X-Mann

PS - Now I go back into hiding & waiting for my AX8 invite to arrive. Lol
 
Last edited:
Oh yea, I got to me several Fractal Artists & talk w/ them about "All that is Fractal" too.

Here's a pic of the jaw dropping Andy Wood & some X-Mann character at the "Randy Rhoads Remebered" concert.

Not only is Andy a stellar instrumental guitarist, he plays for Rascal Flatts & Scott Stapp of Creed fame.

Andy was VERY nice & laughed at my hat too.

X

& please don't feel bad for me for not meeting Larry this year, I met everyone else & literally did everything there was to do at the 2016 Winter NAMM show!

 
Last edited:
Looks like you had an amazing time X Mann, Thanks for taking time and giving us some highlights of the event. I hope you get your AX 8 soon.

Moral of the story is if Larry invites you to an event and you live within 100 miles you go.
 
X & Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson & Jeff Beck)

Note: I didn't just drink a Corona at 10:00am on a Friday. :rolleyes:

I talked about Fractal & the AX8 to so many "A" list players that a few of them asks me how long I've worked for Fractal. I told that all "No, I don't" & I'm just a fan of their products. Jennifer told me that Greg (Howe) had already warned her about the "X-Mann/AX8 talk" too! :eek:
 
Last edited:
& my favorite player on the planet & the reason I ever looked into Fractal Audio in the 1st place, my teacher & sensai, Mr Neil Zaza! \m/


I hope that this thread provides a nice little distraction for all the guys still waiting for their AX8 invite to arrive. Don't worry boys, we've almost made it & March is right around the corner.

X
 
I'm betting the Randy remembered concert was amazing. I'm a HUGE Rhoads fanatic. Saw him live back in '81 and still enjoy the challenge of playing his stuff everyday after all these years. I'm haunted by his early demise; he was on a trajectory to be a major force in music. Seemed like helluva an awesome person too, very humble and generous. Tragic.
 
Awesome pics dude! Larry is a monster player! His performance is always top notch. Larry, Neil, and Greg are 3 of my favorite guitarists of all time!
Yes, all 3-players are standouts & just great human beings!

I know that I'm very lucky to have met & talked w/ each of them. That is what I cherish the most about the NAMM show! Getting the opportunity to have a real conversation w/ the players I respect & to find out just how normal & cool they are.

I did everything at NAMM this year & brought back over 450 pics to prove it!

I met some great new (new to me that is) players, tested some cool gear & saw a lot of amazing performances too! I came back inspired & motivate like never before.

Seeing Larry on night one was a real treat & then I saw John5 (w/ special guest Alice Cooper) the next night.


& then every other stellar guitar player at the Randy Rhoads Remembered show!

I could go on & on for days here, but I'll leave it at this for now. I think we've all seen my excited "Home Alone" face enough w/ all these killer players & don't want to see more!

Peace! X
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom