Faces of the Foundry: Greg Cameron

 

The top notch sound system helmed by uber professional Greg Cameron is one of the many touches setting the Miners Foundry apart from other venues.  L.A.’s loss is Nevada County’s gain, many times over!

Are you originally from Nevada County?  If not, why did you decide to move to Nevada County?  Where are you from originally? 

I’m actually from Los Angeles. I moved here to take a job with AJA Video Systems so I could raise my family in potentially better environment.

How did you discover the Foundry in the first place?

I had a professional sound system that needed home after my family moved up here in 2008 from Los Angeles. My wife Sheila Cameron had mentioned that she read in the paper a place called Miners Foundry in downtown Nevada City was having an open house a couple of months after we moved here. She suggested I go to the open house and see if they might be in need of new sound system. So I took my young daughter to the open house – my first visit to Miners Foundry.

What were your initial impressions of the Foundry?

I was immediately intrigued by the building and it’s history. I found it truly fascinating.

What do you like the best about the Miners Foundry?

I love the building like a second home. I feel comfortable when I’m there. But most of all, I like the people who work there & run the place very much. And I really enjoy making so many new friends and acquaintances because of my relationship with Miners Foundry.

Why did you choose to become involved with the Foundry?

It became apparent that my sound system would be a good match with the Foundry during my first visit. I love music & art. I love being a live sound engineer. The Foundry is and has been an ideal place for me to enjoy the things I love. But it’s ideal because of the uniqueness of the place and the great people who run it.

How long have you been associated with the Foundry?

I’ve been sound engineering at Miners Foundry now for almost 8 years.

What types of events do you most enjoy?

Live music is probably my favorite type of event at Miners Foundry. But I have also enjoyed many weddings and fundraising events at the Foundry as well as Film Festivals. So many great thing happen there.

Do you have a funny or touching story to share about an experience at the Foundry?

I would have to say the New Year’s Eve show going into 2015 was one of the most fun and interesting events I’ve experienced. It didn’t start out that way. I wasn’t in the best of moods that day. Then half way into the celebration, the power went out in Nevada City. There was a scramble to try and get the show going again using various generators. But they all had something wrong with them. Whilst we tried to figure out what to do, the drummers from the bands started to jam. And people were good spirited about it. The party kept going, people kept filing into the building. The fun and great vibe of Nevada City was in full swing. After an hour of so of no power, we were just about to call the show and send everyone home. Literally seconds before I was to make the announcement, the power came on. I hurriedly got the PA situation back in order after trying to reroute power to the generators and got the band going. The energy of trying to save the show when there was no power really made things extra special when the power did finally come back on. The night turned out pretty magically I thought. I think a lot of folks agreed.

Would you encourage others to become involved with the Miners Foundry?  Why?  

I would strongly encourage folks to get involved with the Foundry or contribute to it in any way they can. The building and space is special. Many of the events that go on there are special. The place is an epicenter of art and community. And it needs help to keep it going. Aside from music fundraisers and weddings, the Foundry hosts art shows, dance classes, acting classes, spelling bees, and community meetings. The more people that get involved, the merrier. This place is for the people of this community and surrounding communities. If it wasn’t here, there would certainly be something vital missing from the community.