Last night, Etsy Labs, in conjunction with MAKE and Create Digital Music, played host to the first Musicmaker Meetup. The gathering welcomed all those interested in music, electronics, circuit bending, open source technology, and just tinkering in general. Artists were invited to participate and bring their own projects, or simply enjoy the fruits of others’ labor. I chose the latter path, as my forays into Nanoloop aren’t quite ready for prime time.

A cigar box guitar connected to a Ritz box amp was slouched against one wall, while a man near the stage tended to an clothes iron and board, ready to connect to his laptop. The space was alive with the joy of curiosity, as artists toured their creations with an enraptured audience. Throwing one’s hands in a pit of slime (dubbed the Slime-A-Tron), and hearing the music it produces is a truly rare experience.

In a world where a subculture or a niche market can constitute a great number of people, exciting things start to happen. No matter who you are and what you like, there’s a group of people out their who like the things you do. It’s both comforting and exciting to meet those people, to be able to express yourself and be met with a nod of understanding. When you can do that, and play with a Frankensteinian Speak & Spell, well, you’re really living the good life.

Check out more pics! Also, at the Create Digital Music photopool.