{image1} String Station, a 40-string instrument, makes its world premiere at Milwaukee's Miramar Theatre in 10.1 surround sound on Friday, April 15 at 8 p.m. And creator Jim Bartz promises it'll be a concert that will blow the audience away.
Bartz, a Milwaukee native, is a studio engineer/record producer and guitarist who worked, pre-String Stationwith Peter Gabriel's band. And the idea for the instrument appeared out of the blue for Bartz.
"It was pretty much an accident in the studio," Bartz says. He was overdubbing and came upon a sound that wasn't what he was going for, but to him it sounded interesting. He discovered logic to it, and the final product was String Station, a combination of three customized eight-string steel guitars, one six-string and a 10-string Chapman stick.
"I use two thumb pics to play the chords for melodies/rhythms and fingers to play the bass. It's quite a sight," Bartz adds. "It's designed to be heard in surround sound." You can play bass, rhythm and harmony at the same time with just two hands.
Since getting tangled up with String Station, Guitar Player magazine decided to feature the instrument in its May issue. And, in February, String Station was invited to perform in Chicago at Pressure Point Surround Studios for a surround sound seminar and received high acclaim from audio engineers across the country.
Those who have stopped by to see the String Station include Jon Anderson of Yes, Mark Stewart of Simon & Garfunkel's band and most recently, "Dark Side of the Moon" recording engineer Alan Parsons.
"It's the only one on the planet as of right now," Bartz says. "It's still in the early phase, but I hope it continues to grow in popularity."
This is not your typical concert. With 10.1 surround sound, 18-inch subwoofers and the huge video display that Plasticland uses for its live shows, String Station is sure to spark some interest.
"We've got incredible talent working with us on this. It's going to be a huge performance," Bartz promises.
A surround sound String Station DVD is in the works, but seeing it for yourself is the real treat.
Along with String Station, there will also be a light show by Paka Paka and opening guest Drew Rittgers, a 10-string Chapman stick artist.
Catch this one-of-a-kind performance Friday, April 15 at the Miramar Theatre, 2844 N. Oakland Ave. at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12. The Miramar Theatre box office can be reached at (414) 967-0302, or call Ticketmaster at (414) 276-4545.
The String Station Web site is stringstation.com.
