We have 5 events on the books for this weekend, including Saturday’s 3X points Street Fights at the Bristol Dragway, in Bristol, TN, hosted by Dashboard Audio. Allan Shaffer is the Event Director.
The club partners with Ridez For A Reason on Saturday to help raise money for their community charity work in Jasper, AL. Victor O’Brien is the Event Director.
SoundCheck hosts May Madness on Sunday, at the store, for what is developing into a huge series of sound-off events. Bud Ballinger is the Event Director.
Team Imperial hosts Bring the Thunder III in New Kensington, PA on Sunday. These events are growing and getting lots of support. Sidney Wright is the Event Director.
One of our legendary events for many years, Slammin’ & Jammin’ returns to Sevierville, TN for more fun and games. Allan Shaffer is the Event Director.
6 USA Events This Weekend
We have another weekend of shows coast to coast. All the events should be good ones.
Last year’s Retailer of the Year, Fry’s Electronics, is hosting their Loud & Pround event in Roseville, CA. This is their big Anniversary Sale, and they have $.50 hot dog/Coke combo.
Check out the Event Schedule, and if you haven’t made plans, think about checking out a MECA show near you.
5/18 – 5/19 Made of Steel Show Brandon, FL 3X
5/19 Fry’s Loud and Proud Roseville, CA 3X
5/19 King of the Streets Springfield, IL 1X
5/19 Tiger Presents Mayhem Gonzales, LA 2X
5/20 FlopBox Show II Marion, IN 2X
5/20 RS Car Audio Point Event for Our Veterans Painesville, OH 2X
Texas & Tennessee Shows This Weekend
Happy Mother’s Day to all MECA Mothers!
We have 2 events on Saturday, with car/truck/motorcycle show action.
Allan & Heather Shaffer are driving to Seminole, TX to join Michael Rorke and crew from Kilo-watts Solutions for the West Texas Auto Show on Saturday, May 12th. It’s a 3X event and Show & Shine turn-out is projected to be 75+.
Join the TN Judge Team, minus Allan & Heather, for the annual Spring Fling, hosted by CarTronics and XS Power Batteries, at Tennessee Speed Sport store just off I-65, exit 96. Fun and Games in the Lanes, with Vinny Taylor on SQL, Mike Flanagan and Steve Stern on SPL, and Ethan Stern with Jonathan Rivera judging Show & Shine.
6 Events This Weekend
It’s a busy weekend, coast to coast:
05/05/18 Dayton Audio Concert Car Showdown I Springboro, OH SQL and Show & Shine only
05/05/18 Cinco de Bajo Shreveport, LA
05/05/18 25th Anniversary Show & Sale Mt. Vernon, IL
05/05/18 TDH Day 1 Thornburg, VA
05/06/18 SoCal Springfest II Riverside, CA
05/06/18 TDH Day 2 Thornburg, VA
Plan to attend a MECA event near you. Spectators Welcome!
MECA’s Motorcycle Contests
We want all motorcyclists to know that they are welcome at our events, and we have competition classes for them, too.
We have Show & Shine, SQL, and SPL classes. These classes are State Champion eligible, and we do have them at Finals in October.
These contests can be stand-alone events, or we can partner with car/truck/motorcycle shows and other events to provide motorcycle judging.
Show & Shine
Judging is based on clean and detailed vehicles, and Theme.
1 open class at most shows
More specific classes can be established, minimum 2 per class.
We have “Ride The Light” specialty lighting contest, too, for night events.
2 Sound Pressure League Contests
Sound Pressure – sensor on headrest stand, tones & sweeps allowed. 30 seconds Peak.
Park & Pound – sensor on stand 4.5′ tall, 6′ from right side of vehicle. Must play music tracks, no foul language. 30 seconds Average.
2 Sound Quality League Contests
Sound Quality – 2 classes – judging based on Tonality, Loud and Clear Music.
Dueling Demos – 1 class – head to head challenge matches timed for 1 minute. Competitor picks the song, lyrics or no lyrics, and no foul language. Judge Panel or People’s Choice determines winner.
4 2X Points Events This Weekend Coast to Coast
We now have 105 events confirmed USA events on the Event Schedule and we’re heading to 150+ USA events in the 2018 season.
We have 4 fun shows set up for this weekend. Watch the Event Schedule every week to see the new dates posted with details.
Here’s what’s up for This weekend:
03/17/18 Dino’s Sound Challenge Greensboro, NC
03/18/18 SoundCheck Slam I Lafayette, IN
03/18/18 High Output Sound Smackdown Garner, NC
03/18/18 Luxe CoachCraft Sound and Show Torrance, CA
Welcome Back Manufacturer Members
Thanks to the good people at these Manufacturer Members, who have renewed their commitment to our club and contests for 2018: American Bass, Arc Audio, Audible Physics, B2 Audio, Ballistic, Beyma, Heise, Hybrid Audio, Incriminator Audio, JL Audio, Lanzar, Linear Power, Massive Audio, Mechman Alternators, Metra, Ohio Generator, Pioneer, Pyle Audio, Shuriken, Sundown Audio, TermLab, True Bass Solutions, T-Spec, US Acoustics, XS Power Batteries, Xstatic, and Zapco.
There are a few more to be added to the list, and don’t forget new Manufacturer members Dayton Audio and JY Power Batteries.
That’s quite an impressive list, and we appreciate their continuing support and participation!
StanceWars adds MECA to Events
StanceWars – www.facebook.com/StanceWars – car/truck shows have added MECA SQL and SPL contests to their schedule for 4 events this season.
Our first StanceWars/MECA event is in a month, April 8th, in Las Vegas at the Boulder Station Hotel & Casino. Gate fee for MECA Members is only $10, and regular 2X show score sheet prices are posted. Event Director Richard Papasin will be in charge of the fun and games.
3 more events are on tap, in Seattle, WA on July 15th, and NJ on September 9th. The Houston, TX show is actually happening on November 18th, which will be part of our 2019 season.
Thanks to Mike Tolliver from happenstanceevents.com for including our club and contests in these events.
CarTronics Sound-off Series Ignites TN Events Schedule
CarTronics, Nashville’s 3 store mobile electronics gurus, are joining with MECA to host 7 events at Tennessee Speed Sport during the 2018 season. The “CarTronics Sound-off Series” will feature SQL, SPL, and Show & Shine contests, along with dB Drag Racing contests. This is great news for all Members in Middle Tennessee, and Members up for a drive to Music City USA. The 2X events will be on Saturdays, and 3 3X events, including the TN Soundfest – State Finals, are on Sundays. And, showing support for our car audio community, XS Power Batteries is the Title Sponsor for all events in Tennessee. Please see flier for details for Freezefest in less than 2 weeks.
Club Celebrates 20th Anniversary
MECA, the Mobile Electronics Competition Association, Inc., based in Nashville, TN, is building it’s Event Schedule for 2018. Over 200 events worldwide will be sanctioned by the club, with 150+ on track in the USA. MECA’s International Partners include China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Trinidad/Tobago, with an agreement with India pending.
MECA, acting in it’s capacity as a Trade Association, has 100+ USA Retail Member storefronts and 35 Manufacturer Members. With Retail membership only $75/year, and events costs usually below $500, MECA offers the most cost-effective and worthwhile program for industry promotion and brand building at the grassroots level.
The Sound Quality League (SQL) has been building participation and influence in the marketplace, especially since 2014 with improved, more clear and understandable rules and ease of participation, at all levels. The 2017 Finals brought together 79 SQL vehicles for SQL contests, the largest turnout in club history, up 21% since 2016. The focus of our listening tests is clarity and accuracy, and the ability to turn up the volume, with concert quality volume levels. We advocate precise, professional installations, with 4 classes based on complexity of design, in our SQL Install contest. Rule Book Link: www.mecacaraudio.com/SQLRuleBook.pdf
The Sound Pressure League’s 2018 SPL Rule Book has been posted and offers the best, fairest contests for sound pressure contests, in and out of the vehicle, with the focus on clarity and power of bass notes, and making loud and clear music. The TermLab Magnum meter is our Official SPL Meter and contributes to the legitimacy and accuracy of our contest results. Rule Book Link: www.mecacaraudio.com/2018SPLRuleBook.pdf
MECA events, at best, really are car/truck/motorcycle shows with music. Our Show & Shine car/truck/motorcycle contests are gaining popularity and a big part of our culture. The #1 thing-to-do in the USA centers around car/truck/motorcycle events, and visiting and participating in the activities. MECA’s new school Shine & Shine contest brings all kinds of motor vehicles together, as a celebration of all things automotive, and car audio is the star of the show. Our Ride The Light specialty lighting contest is a great fit for nighttime events. Every business in the industry benefits from the events that MECA oversees, and that’s part of the plan.
A big part of our club and the car audio sports culture are Teams: Independent, Retail, and Manufacturer Teams. The Teams are listed in the results of each competitor, and are very significant credentials for mobile electronics brands and businesses. To have a Team member earn MECA State Champion, or World Champion, status is a big thing. MECA’s entire program is aimed at bringing car audio people together and recognizing them for their individual and Team achievements.
MECA’s Event Coordinators, Directors, and Judges are trained to present our industry, our sport, our hosts and sponsors, and our competitors with professional, well run events that move along quickly, and are fun family events. They are the basis for the good we do in the lanes, and in our neighborhoods.
The club cooperates to involve our Retailers in charity and benefit events close to home, to build brand recognition, familiarity, and respect. Over 10% of the events we host each year are associated with charities and people in need. This is vital to business perception and warrants customer loyalty and repeat business.
MECA offers all this, and more, to our industry and creates pro-active opportunities for quality inexpensive promotions. Check out www.mecacaraudio for 100+ pages of info. For those who haven’t seen it, check out www.youtube.com and search “vice news car audio” for the 5.5 minutes segment on HBO’s VICE News October 20th program, featuring MECA’s 2017 Finals, at the Car Audio Championship in Louisville, KY.
Contact the Commissioner at mecacaraudio@comcast.net or call 615-851-7428 to ask questions, set up shows, and become part of the club.