I’ve been going since 2017, and the experience is always a mix of awkward and awesome. The best part is the people. Camaraderie is strong, old friends reconnect, new faces are welcomed in, and somehow you feel close to people you only see once a year. The sense of community is real.
What happens at Knobcon
Knobcon isn’t just gear on tables. It has its own rhythm, strange rituals, awkward traditions, and little quirks that regulars know to expect every year.
Friday: The welcome reception
Unless you’re an exhibitor, Friday is slow. Grab dinner with friends at Kuma’s Corner for heavy-metal burgers or Kura Sushi for conveyor-belt robo-sushi. Around 7 pm, follow the synth nerds toward the back of the hotel for the welcome reception. It’s awkward and disorganized, with zero curation, but you’ll often catch some incredible performances. Bring cash if you want a beer. Otherwise the hotel bar is a short walk away.
Saturday
Breakfast
Fuel up before hitting the exhibition floor. The hotel buffet is exactly what you’d expect from a Hyatt in Schaumburg: milky eggs, greasy bacon and puffy bagels. Still, it’s a chance to randomly sit with someone alone and spark a great modular chat. Better yet, grab a crew and take the 10–15 minute walk to Wildberry or First Watch. Both serve a breakfast actually worth eating.
Exhibition floor
Pure sonic warfare. Or more like a carnival midway: noisy, crowded, buzzing with energy. Rows of banners, tables stacked with gear, vendors shouting above the din. Everyone here is hyped and the passion is infectious. Expect discounts, piles of swag, and nonstop chatter. Take it slow, make several passes, and ask people what they saw so you don’t miss the good stuff.
Lectures
Lectures are a gamble. Some years they’re amazing. I once saw John Chowning explain his discovery of FM synthesis. This year’s highlight was Bill Beith’s talk on the history of reverb. Both were inspiring and packed with knowledge. But there are duds too. One year I sat through a guy clicking through presets on a software wavetable synth. That was it. If you end up in one of those, bail fast.
DIY workshops
Each year, multiple kits are available for anyone wanting to build a module. Do not worry if you have never soldered. Kits are designed to be easy and you’ll have direct guidance from makers like Keven from Żłob Modular. Tools and solder are provided, and the kits are usually highly discounted.
The banquet
I do not have much to say about the Golden Knob banquet. It’s boring, overpriced, and the buffet is gross. Save your money and eat elsewhere, then come back for the music. Honestly, they should really rethink this activity.
Live shows
In past years, Knobcon tried to host a jam space during the afternoons. It was pure fucking hell. A disorganized mess where everyone blasted across the full frequency range and kept cranking the volume to drown out their neighbor. It was unfriendly, painful, and drove me to write Synth Jams: Etiquette and Strategies. Thankfully, that torture chamber is gone.
Now the shows are better organized and actually worth attending. Four distinct events give performers and listeners something real:
Afternoon Abstract: Primarily electro-acoustic and experimental acts. This started three years ago and has become one of the best curated shows at Knobcon.
Shrimp Tank: A new event this year, hosted by the Golden Shrimp Guild, an online live streaming community of independent electronic musicians. It featured some of their top performers and carried an immensely positive vibe.
The Big Room: Putting aside the dullness of naming an event after a room size, this is the high-energy slot. Danceable, beat-driven music from 120 to 180 BPM. The room shakes, the crowd sweats, and the excitement is undeniable.
Knobcon Chillout: Another uninspired name but a room worth visiting. Ambient and deep listening sets push sound design into new places, pulling you into multidimensional headspace.
Sunday
By Sunday, everyone is beat down. Voices are hoarse, reaction times slow. It’s mostly a repeat of Saturday, lectures, workshops, exhibition floor, but without the live shows. Things wrap up at 4 pm, though goodbyes and future plan-making start much earlier. Expect lots of hugs and half-baked schemes for future modular hijinks.
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Knobcon isn’t perfect, but that’s what gives it character. It’s a gathering of synth people with all the quirks and rough edges intact. Year after year, it remains the one place where you can see, hear, and meet this world casually, in one spot.
