I don't believe bigger is always better when it comes to shows. Where I live, in the San Francisco Bay Area, there are big shows put on by Tristar at the Cow Palace, and small shows put on by Mark McRae in San Leandro. I always enjoy Mark's shows much more — it's not even close. The Cow Palace shows are filled with modern junk, and most of the vintage stuff is way overpriced. Yet I consistently walk out of Mark's shows with all sorts of great vintage treasures and bargains. Also, the atmosphere between the two is like night and day. The Cow Palace is impersonal and sterile, while the smaller and more intimate setting in San Leandro creates a warm and friendly environment. Mark's shows remind me of the wonderful Orange County monthly card shows in the 1970s, and they give me hope that there's still a place for shows in a world dominated by the internet.
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